Richard Williams

Professor

Richard Williams and his team focus on the development of novel therapeutic strategies for chronic inflammatory diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis. He previously focused on the role of TNFα, having successfully contributed to the successful development of anti-TNFα therapy. Subsequent work on combination therapy led to clinical trials of anti-TNFα plus methotrexate, which has set the gold standard for pharmacological management of rheumatoid arthritis.

He was a Senior Lecturer (2007-2011) and then Reader (2011-2012) at Imperial College London and led the Animal Models Group at the Kennedy Institute from 2003-2012.

He led a highly successful MRC DPFS funded project from 2009-2011 and initiated collaborative ventures with numerous pharmaceutical companies, including Merck, Pfizer, GSK, J&J, Bayer-Schering and Celgene.

He has been a Visiting Lecturer at UCL, QMUL and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and as an Editor of Arthritis Research and Therapy for many years. He is now on the editorial board of Frontiers in Immunology and Cell and has acted as consultant to many pharmaceutical companies.

Key publications

TNF receptor 2 signaling prevents DNA methylation at the Foxp3 promoter and prevents pathogenic conversion of regulatory T cells.
Journal article

Tseng W-Y. et al, (2019), Proc natl acad sci u s a, 116, 21666 - 21672
Pharmacological modulation of T cell immunity results in long-term remission of autoimmune arthritis
Journal article

WILLIAMS R. et al, (2021), Proceedings of the national academy of sciences of usa
Blockade of tumor necrosis factor in collagen-induced arthritis reveals a novel immunoregulatory pathway for Th1 and Th17 cells.
Journal article

Notley CA. et al, (2008), J exp med, 205, 2491 - 2497
cIAP1/2 inhibition synergizes with TNF inhibition in autoimmunity by down-regulating IL-17A and inducing Tregs.
Journal article

Kawalkowska JZ. et al, (2019), Sci adv, 5
Anti-tumor necrosis factor ameliorates joint disease in murine collagen-induced arthritis.
Journal article

Williams RO. et al, (1992), Proc natl acad sci u s a, 89, 9784 - 9788
Synergy between anti-CD4 and anti-tumor necrosis factor in the amelioration of established collagen-induced arthritis.
Journal article

Williams RO. et al, (1994), Proc natl acad sci u s a, 91, 2762 - 2766

Recent publications

Pharmacological modulation of T cell immunity results in long-term remission of autoimmune arthritis
Journal article

WILLIAMS R. et al, (2021), Proceedings of the national academy of sciences of usa
Pharmacological modulation of T cell immunity results in long-term remission of autoimmune arthritis.
Journal article

Huang Y-S. et al, (2021), Proc natl acad sci u s a, 118
TNFα inhibitors reduce bone loss in rheumatoid arthritis independent of clinical response by reducing osteoclast precursors and IL-20.
Journal article

Al-Bogami M. et al, (2020), Rheumatology (oxford)
Response to: 'Potential roles for tenascin in (very) early diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis' by Cutolo et al.
Journal article

Aungier S. et al, (2020), Ann rheum dis, 79
IDO activation, inflammation and musculoskeletal disease.
Journal article

Ogbechi J. et al, (2020), Exp gerontol, 131
TNF receptor 2 signaling prevents DNA methylation at the Foxp3 promoter and prevents pathogenic conversion of regulatory T cells.
Journal article

Tseng W-Y. et al, (2019), Proc natl acad sci u s a, 116, 21666 - 21672
cIAP1/2 inhibition synergizes with TNF inhibition in autoimmunity by down-regulating IL-17A and inducing Tregs.
Journal article

Kawalkowska JZ. et al, (2019), Sci adv, 5

More publications