Professor Rachel Williams BSc MS PhD CEng MIPEM FIMMM
Professor of Ophthalmic Bioengineering Eye & Vision Sciences
- +44 (0)151 794 9043
- Work email Rlw@liverpool.ac.uk
Research
Development of gels for ophthalmic applications
My group is developing novel peptide hydrogels for use in ocular applications. We have developed a specific formulation as a bandage contact lens with appropriate mechanical properties, a high water content and excellent transparency. We have developed strategies to enhance their antimicrobial properties and their potential to deliver antimicrobial agents to treat corneal infection. we are also developing these gels as a scaffold for tissue engineering in the cornea and other ocular tissues. Specifically we have demonstrated their potential for use in corneal endothelial transplantation.
Novel chemical Cross-linker for the treatment of keratoconus
Keratoconus is a progressive corneal thinning disorder, affecting young and working age people, in which the cornea becomes misshapen which significantly disrupts the refraction of light into the eye. We have developed and patented a novel chemical cross-linker that stiffens the cornea to a similar extent to current treatment options but has the advantage that it does not require the corneal epithelium to be removed, it does not require activation by UVA and does not cause toxicity to the cells within the cornea. We have been working closely with the Aravind Eye Care System to develop this technology.
Modification of silicone oil tamponades used to treat retinal detachment
My group has development modified silicone oils for enhanced treatment of retinal detachments. Siluron 2000 (Fluoron GmbH) has an increased extensional viscosity which increases the injectibility of the oil and should increase the emulsification resistance. This technology has been developed further leading to the launch of Siluron Xtra and Densiron Xtra
Research Group Membership
Research Grants
Novel technologies to improve patient care
LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (UK)
June 2023 - April 2026
Preclinical evaluation of a new chemical cross-linker for the treatment of keratoconus
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
June 2021 - September 2023
Bio-synthetic corneal endothelial grafts for transplantation
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
January 2022 - May 2025
UKRMP 2 Acellular/Smart Materials – 3D architecture
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
April 2018 - April 2024
Study of response to substrates for subretinal transplant
JAMES KENT TRUST (UK)
October 2015 - March 2025
EPSRC Institutional Sponsorship 2016
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
July 2016 - March 2017
IPE stem cells for the treatment of retinal diseases
JAMES KENT TRUST (UK)
October 2017 - December 2022
Anti-microbial bandage contact lenses
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
November 2017 - December 2023
Peptide gels for corneal endothelial transplantation
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
April 2017 - March 2018
Creation of bio-synthetic corneal endothelial grafts for transplantation using novel peptide gels
FIGHT FOR SIGHT (UK)
October 2017 - December 2019
Antimicrobial Bandages for the Treatment of Wound Infections
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
May 2017 - September 2021
Bridging (Atikah Haneef)
FOUNDATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS (UK)
August 2015 - December 2015
3-D printed peptide gel for synthetic corneal replacement
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
March 2016 - November 2016
Novel Chemical Crosslinking of the cornea for treatment of keratoconus
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
January 2016 - July 2018
The effect of a light based pre-treatment on the cellular response within the hypoxia disease model
POLYPHOTONIX LIMITED (UK)
May 2015 - October 2015
Building advanced materials to treat vision loss
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
August 2014 - September 2021
Clinical treatments for severe ophthalmic diseases
ROYAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING (UK)
November 2012 - October 2013
Advanced materials for tissue engineered solutions for vision loss
THE BRIAN MERCER CHARITABLE TRUST (UK), THE ULVERSCROFT FOUNDATION (UK)
October 2013 - September 2015
Surgical instruments and procedure for cell transplantation in AMD
MACULAR DISEASE SOCIETY (UK)
December 2011 - May 2013
Development of novel biological and novel synthetic substrates for the ex-vivo expansion of human conjunctiva as grafts in ocular surface reconstruction
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
August 2013 - August 2015
Micro-Plasma Technology for Controlling Cellular Interactions on Medical Implants
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
September 2009 - May 2013
Novel peptide gels for corneal endothelium cell transplantation
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
January 2015 - June 2015
light-based therapy to prevent and/or treat diabetic retinopathy
FOUNDATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS (UK)
October 2012 - December 2013
Liverpool 3View: a national hub for 3D-EM bioscience research
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
January 2014 - December 2014
Monolayer Deposition of Nanoparticles for Control of Cellular Response to Surfaces.
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
March 2001 - October 2001
Development of nanoparticulate surfaces that inhibit bacterial biofilm formation.
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
April 2004 - September 2005
Experimental studies of the mechanism of biological organisation.
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
November 2009 - June 2011
The design and analysis of synthetic substrates for embryonic stem cell culture.
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
July 2006 - December 2009
Heavy Tamponades in Vitreo-Retinal Surgery
WELLCOME TRUST (UK)
August 2008 - July 2010
Identification of colloid science routes to improve the clinical performance of tamponade agents.
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
August 2005 - July 2006
Polymer degradation and its modification by gamma-irradiation under simulated physiological conditions.
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
September 1997 - March 2001
KEL 12/29 - Improved Management of Meibomian Gland Dsyfunction
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
May 2012 - September 2012
Fundamental aspects of the electronic structure of biointeractions using high performance electron spectroscopy.
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2004 - September 2005
The influence of controlled surface chemical modification on the cellular response to biomaterials.
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
January 1999 - December 2001
Developing a stem cell based therapy to replace nephrons lost through reflux nephropathy. EU - PROPOSAL NUMBER 036097-2 KIDSTEM
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
September 2006 - August 2010
Cross-Linked Actin Networks (CLANs). Are they a morphological fingerprint of trabecular meshwork cell malfunction in glaucoma that may be targeted as a new treatment direction?
THE GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND ASSOCIATION (UK)
April 2006 - March 2009
Synthesis and Evaluation of a Smart Drug-Carrying Vitreous Substitute.
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
February 1999 - January 2002
Design of synthetic substrates for the differentiation of kidney stem cells.
ROYAL SOCIETY (CHARITABLE)
April 2007 - March 2010
A novel approach to study the cellular response to directional loading in relation to biomedical implants.
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
July 2007 - December 2010
The Armourers and Brasiers’ Materials Science Venture Prize: Treatment of dentures to inhibit oral thrush
ARMOURERS AND BRASIERS COMPANY
January 2010 - January 2015
Modulating posterior capsule opacification using controlled drug delivery.
ROYAL LIVERPOOL AND BROADGREEN UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUST (UK)
July 2000 - June 2003
The Formation and Function of CLAN's on Trabecular Meshwork cells
FIGHT FOR SIGHT (UK)
October 2006 - November 2009
Research Collaborations
Ahmed Elsheikh
Internal
Ophthalmic devices
Steve Rannard
Internal
Drug delivery in the eye
James Bradley
Internal
Atmospheric Plasmas for surface modification
Patricia Murray
Internal
Substrates for embryonic stem cell self renewal
Peter Weightman
Internal
Surface analysis and biointeractions using RAS
Heather Allison
Internal
Nanoparticular silica for surface modification,