Carol L. Williams

Carol L. Williams is the Joan K. Van Deuren Professor in Breast Cancer Research and Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She leads the Cancer Biology Research Program at the institution's Cancer Center. Dr. Williams holds a PhD in Zoology/Parasitology from the University of Minnesota (1983). Her research focuses on the biochemical signaling pathways of Ras and Rho GTPases, particularly their roles in cancer and cardiovascular disease. Key areas include SmgGDS regulation of GTPase prenylation and trafficking, nuclear localization signals in small GTPases, and splice variants' impact on cellular processes. Her work explores mechanisms linking GTPase dysfunction to diseases like hypertension, atherosclerosis, and cancer metastasis.

Research highlights include discovering SmgGDS splice variants (SmgGDS-607 and SmgGDS-558) that differentially regulate GTPase prenylation pathways, and identifying C-terminal nuclear localization signals in Rac1 that enable nucleocytoplasmic shuttling. These findings expand understanding of GTPase signaling in cellular functions.

Collaborative studies have addressed β-adrenergic signaling in hematopoietic cell transplantation and genetic mutations (e.g., RABL3) linked to hereditary cancers. Her lab employs proteomic analysis, biochemical assays, and molecular biology techniques to investigate these pathways.

Publications span topics like isoprenoid analog synthesis, splice variant dynamics, and mechanistic insights into GTPase interactions. Research has implications for developing targeted therapies against cancer and cardiovascular disorders.