Williams Group

Our research group investigates the genetic, and omic contributions to common complex conditions causing the greatest disability such as chronic widespread pain, low back pain, fatigue and age-related hearing impairment.

One specific research aim is to elucidate mechanisms and pathogenic process in intervertebral disc degeneration. We have identified novel genetic variants associated with disc degeneration, and chronic pain. What is most interesting is that these disorders have a shared genetic risk with irritable bowel syndrome and pelvic pain – a common genetic predisposition that increases the risk of two, seemingly unconnected disorders.

In the last five years we have obtained ~£2M in research grants and been awarded the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine clinical prize twice.

Members

Maxim Freydin

Research Fellow

Isabelle Granville Smith

Research Project Coordinator

Philippa Wells

Research Associate

Frances Williams

Professor of Genomic Epidemiology

The genetic epidemiology of back pain

Our group has examined the genetic epidemiology of back pain and identified several novel single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with disc degeneration and low back pain. We showed for the first time shared genetic risks or a common heritability for back pain/chronic pain, psychological disorders, disc degeneration as well as vertebral and cartilage formation.

Youtube Video: Largest genetic study of back pain

Chart with an illustration of the human spine

The Spine Microbiome Study

This project has emerged from the culmination of over a decade’s worth of dedicated disc degeneration research. We are focussed upon the contribution of errant bacteria in the initiation and progression of Modic change (a type of disc degeneration). We hope these results will highlight a bacterial disruption that is common to Modic change patients and offer targeted antibiotic treatment options.

Close-up of the hands of an elder person

Microbiome study of rheumatoid arthritis

This project aims to determine microbiome influences on the response to standard treatment in rheumatoid arthritis. Newly diagnosed, untreated patients were recruited and followed though their first months of treatment. We plan to see if microbiome signatures correlate with treatment response and changes in the microbiome relate to clinical and patient-reported outcomes.

Close-up of a person's ear wearing a hearing aid

Genetic epidemiology of age related hearing loss

We have a considerable track record in heritability studies in age-related hearing loss (ARHI) and the exploration of methods that allow collection of hearing data at large scale. This common complex trait is highly prevalent in the elderly and causes considerable disability and social isolation. We recently identified, in a large collaborative study, >40 genetic variants associated with ARHI. We are also quantifying the genetic correlation between ARHI and cognitive ability using large cohorts.

Causal effects of psychosocial factors on chronic back pain: a bidirectional Mendelian randomisation study
Williams, F. M. K., Elgaeva, E. E., Freidin, M. B., Zaytseva, O. O., Aulchenko, Y. S., Tsepilov, Y. A. & Suri, P., Jul 2022, In: European Spine Journal. 31, 7, p. 1906-1915 10 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-022-07263-2
Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies 48 risk variants and highlights the role of the stria vascularis in hearing loss
Estonian Biobank Research Team, 2 Jun 2022, In: American Journal of Human Genetics. 109, 6, p. 1077-1091 15 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.04.010
Genetic and environmental correlational structure among metabolic syndrome endophenotypes
Cherny, S. S., Williams, F. M. K. & Livshits, G., 2022, (Accepted/In press) In: Annals of Human Genetics. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1111/ahg.12465
Understanding the complex genetic architecture connecting rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and inflammation: discovering causal pathways
CHARGE Inflammation Working Group, 29 Mar 2022, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Human Molecular Genetics. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddac061
Author Correction: Attributes and predictors of long COVID (Nature Medicine, (2021), 27, 4, (626-631), 10.1038/s41591-021-01292-y)
Sudre, C. H., Murray, B., Varsavsky, T., Graham, M. S., Penfold, R. S., Bowyer, R. C., Pujol, J. C., Klaser, K., Antonelli, M., Canas, L. S., Molteni, E., Modat, M., Jorge Cardoso, M., May, A., Ganesh, S., Davies, R., Nguyen, L. H., Drew, D. A., Astley, C. M., Joshi, A. D. & 13 others, Merino, J., Tsereteli, N., Fall, T., Gomez, M. F., Duncan, E. L., Menni, C., Williams, F. M. K., Franks, P. W., Chan, A. T., Wolf, J., Ourselin, S., Spector, T. & Steves, C. J., Jun 2021, In: Nature Medicine. 27, 6, p. 1116 1 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01361-2
Shared genetic architecture between rheumatoid arthritis and varying osteoporotic phenotypes
Kasher, M., Freidin, M. B., Williams, F. M., Cherny, S. S., Malkin, I. & Livshits, G., Mar 2022, In: Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 37, 3, p. 440-453 14 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.4491
Evidence for infection in intervertebral disc degeneration: a systematic review
Granville Smith, I., Danckert, N. P., Freidin, M. B., Wells, P., Marchesi, J. R. & Williams, F. M. K., 4 Dec 2021, (E-pub ahead of print) In: European Spine Journal. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-021-07062-1
Baseline predictors of remission, pain and fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis: the TITRATE trial
Lee, S. Y., Ibrahim, F., Tom, B. D. M., Nikiphorou, E., Williams, F. M. K., Lempp, H. & Scott, D. L., Dec 2021, In: Arthritis Research and Therapy. 23, 1, 1 p., 278. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13075-021-02653-1
Long COVID burden and risk factors in 10 UK longitudinal studies and electronic health records
Thompson, E. J., Williams, D. M., Walker, A. J., Mitchell, R. E., Niedzwiedz, C. L., Yang, T. C., Huggins, C. F., Kwong, A. S. F., Silverwood, R. J., Di Gessa, G., Bowyer, R., Northstone, K., Hou, B., Green, M. J., Dodgeon, B., Doores, K., Duncan, E., Williams, F., Steptoe, A., Porteous, D. J. & 11 others, McEachan, R. R. C., Tomlinson, L., Goldacre, B., Patalay, P., Ploubidis, G. B., Katikireddi, S. V., Tilling, K., Rentsch, C. T., Timpson, N. J., Chaturvedi, N. & Steves, C., 28 Jun 2022, In: Nature Communications. 13, 1, p. 3528 1 p., 3528. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30836-0
Genetic sharing with cardiovascular disease risk factors and diabetes reveals novel bone mineral density loci
GEFOS Consortium, 1 Dec 2015, In: PLoS ONE. 10, 12, e0144531. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0144531

View all publications

International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS) prize for clinical studies 2020
International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS) prize for clinical studies 2015

For an exhaustive list of grants and awards, visit Professor William's PURE profile.