Sha Neisha Williams
Graduate Student - Ding Lab
Professional Background
I completed my B.S. in Biology at the University of Central Missouri in 2011. I received my Master in Biosciences with an emphasis in research from Kansas City University in 2016. My master’s thesis focused on the role of a plasma membrane calcium transporter in the development and progression of Parkinson’s disease. I joined IGPBS program at KUMC in 2021 and joined the lab of Dr. Wen-Xing Ding in the summer of 2022.
Research
Overview
Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a common condition that encompasses a broad spectrum of liver pathologies which begins with simple steatosis and can progress to more severe conditions such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with continued heavy drinking. ALD is accompanied by a high cost burden and lacks any current, effective therapies. Though there are many risk factors associated with the development of ALD, aging is a well-known factor. However, the mechanisms by which alcohol and aging cooperatively contribute to the pathogenesis of ALD in older adults remain incompletely understood. My graduate research focuses on elucidating the role of both aging and alcohol on homeostatic processes in the liver in ALD.