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Dr Cayman Williams
3rd floor
Institute of Immunity and Transplantation
Rowland Hill Street
Hampstead
UK
NW3 2PP
Appointment
- Research Fellow
- Div of Infection & Immunity
- Faculty of Medical Sciences
Biography
My BSc in Biological Science and MSc in Biomedical Science were both completed at Edinburgh Napier University in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
From 2017-2021 I had the privilege of undertaking my PhD with Prof David Sansom within the Institute of Immunity and Transplantation at University College London. We investigated the different roles of CD28 co-stimulation in human Memory and Naive T cells and developed assays to measure variation in T cell activation thresholds between healthy humans. We also studied the immunoregulatory receptor, CTLA4, addressing functional questions such as how this receptor regulates CD28 co-stimulation and why there are two ligands (CD80 and CD86) that these receptors engage with.
In 2022 I joined Prof Benedict Seddon's group as a Postdoctoral Research Associate, also at the Institute of Immunity and Transplantation. Currently, we are investigating how CD28 and CTLA4 function impacts the kinetics of Memory T cell development in adult and neonatal mice.
Research Themes
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See LessResearch Summary
During my PhD and Postdoctoral work, I developed in vitro assays to investigate TCR and CD28 activation thresholds in different human T lymphocyte subsets. I also studied how CD28 and TCR signals 'intertwine' to modulate cell-specific functions in Memory and Naive CD4+ T cells.
I have also investigated the biological function of CTLA4 in human Tregs, focusing on how perturbations in ligand-receptor interactions impact CTLA4's regulatory capability.
Using mouse genetics, I have also been investigating how CD28 and CTLA4 impact the developmental kinetics of T cell memory in vivo in the neonatal and adult setting.
These investigations provide novel insight into the basic immunology of CD28 and CTLA4 function which will enhance our understanding of T cell mediated disease and how to improve future therapies to treat them.
Teaching Summary
Module INIM0011 - Lecture titled 'Progress in understanding and treatment of autoimmune disease'
I supervise lab placements for;
BSc, iBSc, MSc & MRes students
Academic Background
| MSc | Biomedical Sciences | ||
| BSc Hons | Biological Sciences | ||
| PhD | Immunology |
