Dr William Walker

Senior Lecturer, Biomedical Sciences

+44 (0) 1792 513482

w.walker@swansea.ac.uk

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

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.

Publications

Research Highlights

Walker, W. & Healey, G. (2014). Development of Pre-Clinical Models for Evaluating the Therapeutic Potential of Candidate siRNA Targeting STAT6. PLoS ONE, 9(2), e90338
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090338, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa17428
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0090338
Healey, G., Evans, N., Hopkin, J., Davies, G., & Walker, W. (2013). Evaluation of nasal epithelium sampling as a tool in the preclinical development of siRNA-based therapeutics for asthma. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 17(3), 356-364.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.12014, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa17098
Healey, G., Zinnen, S., Lockridge, J., Richards, I., Evans, N., Walker, W., & Walker, W. (2010). Identification of small interfering RNA targeting signal transducer and activator of transcription-6: characterisation and selection of candidates for pre-clinical development. J. RNAi Gene Silencing, 6, 401-10.
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa10001
Walker, W., Healey, G., Hopkin, J., Walker, W., & Healey, G. (2009). RNA interference of STAT6 rapidly attenuates ongoing interleukin-13-mediated events in lung epithelial cells. Immunology, 127, 256-266.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2567.2008.02951.x, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa10002
Gao, P., Walker, W., & Moller, M. (2004). Variation in dinucleotide (GT) repeat sequence in the first exon of the STAT6 gene is associated with atopic asthma and differentially regulates the promoter activity in vitro. Journal of Medical Genetics, 41(7), 535-539.
https://doi.org/10.1136/jmg.2003.015842, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa1415
Walker, W. & Rotondo, D. (2004). Prostaglandin E2 is a potent regulator of interleukin-12- and interleukin-18-induced natural killer cell interferon-gamma synthesis. Immunology, 111(3), 298-305.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2567.2004.01810.x, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa1414
Alexander, J., Brombacher, F., McGachy, H., McKenzie, A., Walker, W., & Carter, K. (2002). An essential role for IL-13 in maintaining a non-healing response following Leishmania mexicana infection. European Journal of Immunology, 32(10), 2923-2933.
https://doi.org/10.1002/1521-4141(2002010)32:10<2923::AID-IMMU2923>3.0.CO;2-E, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa1413
Roberts, C., Walker, W., Alexander, J., & Walker, W. (2001). Sex-Associated Hormones and Immunity to Protozoan Parasites. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 14(3), 476-488.
https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.14.3.476-488.2001, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa1412
Healey, G., Evans, N., Hopkin, J., Davies, G., & Walker, W. (2013). Evaluation of nasal epithelium sampling as a tool in the preclinical development of siRNA-based therapeutics for asthma. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 17(3), 356-364.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.12014, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa13398

All Research

Journal Articles

Walker, W. & Healey, G. (2014). Development of Pre-Clinical Models for Evaluating the Therapeutic Potential of Candidate siRNA Targeting STAT6. PLoS ONE, 9(2), e90338
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090338, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa17428
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0090338
Healey, G., Evans, N., Hopkin, J., Davies, G., & Walker, W. (2013). Evaluation of nasal epithelium sampling as a tool in the preclinical development of siRNA-based therapeutics for asthma. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 17(3), 356-364.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.12014, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa13398
Healey, G., Evans, N., Hopkin, J., Davies, G., & Walker, W. (2013). Evaluation of nasal epithelium sampling as a tool in the preclinical development of siRNA-based therapeutics for asthma. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 17(3), 356-364.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.12014, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa17098
Healey, G., Zinnen, S., Lockridge, J., Richards, I., Evans, N., Walker, W., & Walker, W. (2010). Identification of small interfering RNA targeting signal transducer and activator of transcription-6: characterisation and selection of candidates for pre-clinical development. J. RNAi Gene Silencing, 6, 401-10.
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa10001
Walker, W., Healey, G., Hopkin, J., Walker, W., & Healey, G. (2009). RNA interference of STAT6 rapidly attenuates ongoing interleukin-13-mediated events in lung epithelial cells. Immunology, 127, 256-266.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2567.2008.02951.x, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa10002
Gao, P., Walker, W., & Moller, M. (2004). Variation in dinucleotide (GT) repeat sequence in the first exon of the STAT6 gene is associated with atopic asthma and differentially regulates the promoter activity in vitro. Journal of Medical Genetics, 41(7), 535-539.
https://doi.org/10.1136/jmg.2003.015842, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa1415
Walker, W. & Rotondo, D. (2004). Prostaglandin E2 is a potent regulator of interleukin-12- and interleukin-18-induced natural killer cell interferon-gamma synthesis. Immunology, 111(3), 298-305.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2567.2004.01810.x, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa1414
Alexander, J., Brombacher, F., McGachy, H., McKenzie, A., Walker, W., & Carter, K. (2002). An essential role for IL-13 in maintaining a non-healing response following Leishmania mexicana infection. European Journal of Immunology, 32(10), 2923-2933.
https://doi.org/10.1002/1521-4141(2002010)32:10<2923::AID-IMMU2923>3.0.CO;2-E, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa1413
Roberts, C., Walker, W., Alexander, J., & Walker, W. (2001). Sex-Associated Hormones and Immunity to Protozoan Parasites. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 14(3), 476-488.
https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.14.3.476-488.2001, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa1412

Supervision

Assessment of Osteogenesis and Biocompatibility of a Novel 3D-printed Bone Graft Substitute (current)

MD

Other supervisor: Prof Venkat Kanamarlapudi
Contemporary approaches to the diagnosis and management of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, examining the role of biomarkers in aiding early diagnosis (current)

MD

Other supervisor: Prof Peter Dunstan

Other supervisor: Prof Venkat Kanamarlapudi
Targeting the interleukin-13 receptor (IL-13R)alpha2 expressing pancreatic cancer by a novel hybrid lytic peptide drug (current)

PhD

Other supervisor: Prof Venkat Kanamarlapudi
Functional characterisation of EFA6R, a possible biomarker for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (awarded 2019)

PhD

Other supervisor: Prof Venkat Kanamarlapudi

Taught Modules

PM-344 Capstone Project

The aim of this module is to provide a capstone experience to students¿ learning, through participating in their own enquiry-based research project. The project may be laboratory or non-laboratory based, but it will always involve a research question that is drawn from the literature, and focused on a topic relevant to medical science. It will ask a novel research question and involve the critical analysis of research findings. Students will refine their oral and written communication skills to a graduate level through creating an introductory presentation on the project background, and a written dissertation and oral presentation on their research conclusions.
PM-347 Human Immunopathology

The module aims to provide students with a greater understanding of the human immune system and the causes of a range of diseases associated with immune dysfunction including autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders and neurological conditions.

Key Grants and Projects

Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund: Investigation of IL-13Rα2 targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer 2018 - 2021

Co-investigator: Walker, W. , with Kanamarlapudi, V; Al-Sarireh, B. , £100K

Dr William Walker

Telephone number

Email address

Research Links

About

Areas Of Expertise

Career Highlights

Publications

Research Highlights

All Research

Journal Articles

Supervision

Assessment of Osteogenesis and Biocompatibility of a Novel 3D-printed Bone Graft Substitute (current)

Contemporary approaches to the diagnosis and management of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, examining the role of biomarkers in aiding early diagnosis (current)

Targeting the interleukin-13 receptor (IL-13R)alpha2 expressing pancreatic cancer by a novel hybrid lytic peptide drug (current)

Functional characterisation of EFA6R, a possible biomarker for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (awarded 2019)

Taught Modules

PM-344 Capstone Project

PM-347 Human Immunopathology

Key Grants and Projects

Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund: Investigation of IL-13Rα2 targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer 2018 - 2021