Our bodies have an incredible internal control system called the autonomic nervous system (ANS). It keeps essential functions—like heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and digestion—running smoothly without us even thinking about it. But when this system doesn’t work as it should, the results can be life-altering, especially for people with diseases like diabetes, amyloidosis, or peripheral neuropathy (PN).
Dr. Erika Williams, MD, PhD, a neuromuscular fellow at Massachusetts General Brigham, and one of the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy’s first Clinical Research Training Scholarship (CRTS) recipients, is leading research to better understand the ANS. She’s creating a detailed map of its gene activity to uncover the types of nerve cells in this system and how they change in disease. Her work could make it easier to understand and treat ANS-related disorders.
Progress so far on Dr. Erika Williams’s research
Dr. Williams’s team has developed new ways to collect and store nerve tissues from human donors, building a high-quality sample library. They’ve collected data from nine donors so far and have identified different nerve cell types and their gene activity. Her work also compares human nerve cells to those of animals, helping to connect lab discoveries to real human health.
Dr. Williams has demonstrated remarkable progress over the past year, collecting the necessary samples for her research program and successfully developing the assays required for achieving her specific aims. Her impressive advancements toward her research objectives are complemented by the productive collaborations she has established both within the lab and with external partners. These collaborations are significantly enhancing her research capabilities and positioning her as a rising star in the field of neurology. – Dr. Williams’s mentor
Looking ahead
This research could change the way doctors diagnose and treat ANS-related problems. By mapping the ANS, Dr. Williams and her team are helping to uncover how this system works—and how to fix them when they don’t.
Stay tuned through FPN as this important work continues to uncover the hidden secrets of the ANS!