LAURA E. WILLIAMS laura.wlms@gmail.com 678-640-7105 101 Science Drive, CIEMAS Building, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 CURRENT POSITION: Postdoctoral Associate, Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, Duke University EDUCATION: Ph.D. (with Dr. Anne Summers) 2003-2009 Department of Microbiology University of Georgia, Athens, GA Dissertation title: Natural Variation of Large Plasmids in Bacterial Populations B.S., Biology 1997-2001 Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE: Postdoctoral Associate (with Dr. Jennifer Wernegreen) 2009-present Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC 2010-present Josephine Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 2009-2010 Studying genome evolution in bacterial endosymbionts of carpenter ants Postdoctoral Scientist (with Dr. Anne Summers) Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 2009 Investigated naturally occurring variation in large E. coli and Salmonella plasmids Graduate Research Assistant 2003-2009 Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA Investigated naturally occurring variation in large E. coli and Salmonella plasmids Isolated and analyzed novel plasmid genomes from Vibrio fischeri Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory Training Fellow 2001-2003 Mycotic Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA Identified antifungal drug resistance mechanisms in Candida albicans Cancer Research Contractor Summer 2001 Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN Infectious Diseases Research Intern Summer 2000 Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN Laura E. Williams 1
Experimental Cardiovascular Sciences Research Intern Summer 1999 Methodist Research Institute, Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, IN PUBLICATIONS: Williams, L. E., V. Hilliard*, J. Kramer*, J. Wireman and A. O. Summers. Plasmids in Escherichia coli and Salmonella reference collections are highly variable despite common backbones. In preparation. Williams, L. E. and J. J. Wernegreen. 2010. Unprecedented loss of ammonia assimilation capability in a urease-encoding bacterial mutualist. BMC Genomics. 11:687. Williams, L. E., C. Detter, K. Barry, A. Lapidus, and A. O. Summers. 2006. Facile recovery of individual high-molecular-weight, low-copy-number natural plasmids for genomic sequencing. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72(7):4899-4906. Lee, M. K., L. E. Williams, D. W. Warnock, and B. A. Arthington-Skaggs. 2004. Drug resistance genes and trailing growth in Candida albicans. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 53:217-224. *mentored undergraduate student PRESENTATIONS: Williams, L. E. and J. J. Wernegreen. The genome of Blochmannia vafer reveals loss of nitrogen recycling capability and frameshifts in DNA replication proteins. Poster presentation. Third American Society for Microbiology Conference on Beneficial Microbes, October 2010, Miami, FL. Williams, L. E., J. Kramer*, D. Adin, E. Stabb, A. O. Summers. Plasmid diversity is high in E. coli and Salmonella and limited in marine symbiotic Vibrio. Poster presentation. American Society for Microbiology 108 th General Meeting, June 2008, Boston, MA. Williams, L. E., V. Hilliard*, and A. O. Summers. Large and small plasmids are abundant in Salmonella and Escherichia coli reference collections. Poster presentation. International Symposium on Plasmid Biology, September 2006, Fallen Leaf Lake, CA. Williams, L. E., D. Miller*, C. Detter, K. Barry, and A. O. Summers. Magnetic bead-based isolation of library-quality, high molecular weight plasmid DNA from Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria. Poster presentation. American Society for Microbiology 105 th General Meeting, May 2005, Atlanta, GA. *mentored undergraduate student Laura E. Williams 2
TEACHING EXPERIENCE: Teaching Assistant, University of Georgia Fall 2006 and 2005 MIBO 8110: E-Prokaryotes Laboratory section Graduate level introductory bioinformatics laboratory emphasizing sequence alignments, genome annotation, protein structure analysis and phylogenetics Taught lecture and laboratory section on phylogenetics Assisted during laboratory sessions Teaching Assistant, University of Georgia Spring 2006 MIBO 4500: Bacterial Symbioses Upper-level undergraduate lecture course exploring symbioses between bacteria and animals, insects and plants Led group discussions of primary literature Teaching Assistant, Illinois Wesleyan University Fall 2000 and 1999 BIO 306: Plant and Fungal Diversity Laboratory section Upper level undergraduate laboratory using microscopy, live specimens and culture methods to explore diversity of bacteria, fungi, and plants Assisted during laboratory sessions MENTORING EXPERIENCE: Eunice Yim, undergraduate student Summer 2011 Gap closure of bacterial endosymbiont genomes James Kramer, NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates Summer 2007 RFLP typing of large plasmids from standard reference collection of E. coli Zena Yusuf, undergraduate student Spring-Summer 2007 RFLP typing of large plasmids from standard reference collection of E. coli Valerie Hilliard, undergraduate student Spring 2005-Summer 2006 Isolation and characterization of large plasmids from archaea and bacteria David Miller, NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates Summer 2004 Development of method for large plasmid isolation from Gram positive bacteria PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Institute for Genome Sciences Workshop September 15-17, 2009 University of Maryland School of Medicine Strategies for second generation sequencing projects, including assembly and annotation Microbial Genomics and Metagenomics Workshop Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA January 7-11, 2008 Lectures and tutorials on tools for genome analysis and comparative genomics at JGI Laura E. Williams 3
Workshop on Molecular Evolution Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA July 22-August 3, 2007 Lectures and demonstrations on fundamentals of molecular evolution Computer training on current tools and software packages American Society for Microbiology Robert J. Kadner Institute in Preparation for Careers in Microbiology University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT July 29-August 2, 2006 Intensive development of grant writing and scientific presentation skills The Institute for Genomic Research Workshop on Prokaryotic Annotation and Analysis TIGR, Rockville, MD October 11-13, 2004 Tools and strategies for genome annotation and comparative genomics LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE: President, Microbiology Graduate Student Association 2005-2006 AWARDS AND HONORS: American Society for Microbiology Career Development Grant 2011 for Postdoctoral Women University of Georgia Presidential Graduate Fellow 2003-2009 University of Georgia Department of Microbiology Payne Fellowship 2007 Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation Scholarship 2006-2008 Honorable Mention, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship 2005 University of Georgia Student Travel Grant 2007, 2006, 2005 Honorable Mention, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Predoctoral Fellowship 2003 Phi Beta Kappa PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS American Society for Microbiology American Association for the Advancement of Science SERVICE ACTIVITIES North Carolina DNA Day volunteer 2011 Presented module about human genetics to high school classes North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics science fair judge 2011 Duke-Durham School Days volunteer 2010 Lab tours and research presentations to visiting 8 th graders from local schools Laura E. Williams 4
National Lab Day volunteer 2010 Assist with laboratory exercises and discuss scientific research in local K-12 classes Georgia Regional Science and Engineering Fair judge 2004, 2006 Laura E. Williams 5