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William Walker Profile Picture

Dr William Walker

Senior Lecturer, Biomedical Sciences

Telephone number

+44 (0) 1792 513482

Email address

Research Links

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1940-5329
Academic Office - 227
Second Floor
Institute of Life Science 1
Singleton Campus
Available For Postgraduate Supervision

About

Dr Walker has an extensive background in both immunology (BSc, PhD; University of Glasgow) and human pathology (Fellowship; Institute of Biomedical Science - cellular pathology) and developed his research interest into the immunopathogenesis of disease during his postdoctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania (1996-1999).  At Swansea, his main research interests involve studying the immunology of inflammatory disease and cancer.  He also has a specific interest in developing novel drugs with a granted patent in the field of siRNA-based therapeutics (Materials & Methods for Treatment of Allergic Disease).  Ongoing research includes further studies into developing RNA-based therapeutics and related studies into the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer - with focus on candidate biomarkers and the development of new anti-cancer therapeutics. 

Areas Of Expertise

  • Immunology
  • Pathology
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Disease biomarkers
  • Drug development
  • RNA-based therapeutics

Career Highlights

Teaching Interests

Dr Walker teaches immunology on the Graduate Entry Medicine and Genetics and Biochemistry (PM-347) Degree programmes at Swansea University.  He also teaches undergraduate students undertaking laboratory-based Biomolecular research projects (PM-304) and supervises postgraduate students undertaking MSc, MD and PhD studies in the areas of immunopathology and cancer. 

 

Research
Bill Walker Research

Dr Walker studies the immune response in relation to the pathogenesis of inflammatory disease (allergic asthma) and various cancers (pancreatic, breast).  In particular, delineating the role of IL-13 receptor biology and Jak-STAT signalling pathways in these diseases.  Past studies have focussed on using novel patented siRNA-based drugs to inhibit STAT6 expression in asthma and further development of this molecular approach is ongoing.  His current collaborative studies are focused on the expression of IL-13 receptors and their related pathways in pancreatic cancer.  The use of IL-13 receptor-specific hybrid lytic peptides as novel therapeutics are also being explored. 

Collaborations

Academic: 

Professor Venkateswarlu Kanamarlapudi; Professor of Molecular Cell Biology and Pharmacology, SUMS. 

Clinical: 

Professor Bilal Al-Sarireh; Consultant in Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary and Laparoscopic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Morriston Hospital, SBUHB. 

Professor Paul Griffiths; Consultant Pathologist, Department of Pathology, Singleton Hospital, SBUHB.