Robert Williams

Professor Emeritus,

School of Human Evolution and Social Change

Other ASU affiliations

Emeritus Professor, Emeritus College

Matthews Center 211C TEMPE, AZ 85287-2402
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Long Bio

Robert C. Williams received his doctoral degree from the University of Michigan and trained as an National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellow for two years at the Department of Human Genetics in the University of Michigan Medical School. His research areas are the genetics of American Indians, transplantation genetics, genetic epidemiology and evolution. He has collaborated with the intramural section of the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, in Phoenix, since 1979 and has participated in their research on the diabetes and genetics of the Pima Indians. He and his colleagues published the first large genetic study that supported a 3-migration model of New World occupation. Williams helped develop the HLA genetic system while a consultant director of the transplantation genetics (HLA) laboratory at Blood Systems, Inc. He participated in international HLA workshops and defined 5 new HLA genetic variants in American Indians. Recently he has participated in the development of mathematical algorithms for the estimation of individual admixture in humans and has related these estimates to the risk of diabetes and obesity in the Gila River Indian Community.

Education

Ph.D. University of Michigan

Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

Robert Williams is now working full-time, as a Special Volunteer, for the National Institutes of Health, NIDDK, PECRB, at 1550 East Indian School Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85014. His research areas are statistical genetics and epidemiology.

Publications

K Faccia, Robert Williams. Schmorl's nodes: Clinical significance and implications for the bioarchaeological record. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology (2007).
Williams, Robert, Lambert, J, Williams, Joan, Robertson, G, Caglioti, S. NAT Assay Performance Evaluation Using Universal Samples Distributed by the College of American Pathologists. Transfusion (2007).
Williams, Robert, Williams, Joan, Robertson, G, Sage, M, Caglioti, S, Delacy, T, Reynolds, W, Trainor, D, Linnen, J, Baker, C, Armstrong, G. Multisite Sensitivity Evaluation of the PROCLEIXs’ ULTRIOs’ Assay on the Automated PROCLEIXs’ TIGRISs’ System. Transfusion (2007).
D Dalton, L Bornman, P Venter, Z Lombard, Robert Williams. Association of HLA-DR, -DQ and vitamin D receptor alleles and haplotypes with tuberculosis in the Venda of South Africa. Human Immunology (2006).
D Dalton, L Bornman, P Venter, Z Lombard, Robert Williams. Association of HLA-DR, -DQ, and Vitamin D Receptor Alleles and Haplotypes with Tuberculosis in the Venda of South Africa. Human Immunology (2006).
M Tocheri, M Marzke, Robert Williams, A Razdan. A 3D quantitative comparison of trapezium and trapezoid relative articular and nonarticular surface areas in modern humans and great apes. Journal of Human Evolution (2005).
M Tocheri, M Marzke, Robert Williams, A Razdan. Comparative and functional anatomy of the trapezium and trapezoid in extant hominids: I. Relative articular and nonarticular surface areas. Journal of Human Evolution (2005).
J McAuley, S Caglioti, Robert Williams, G Robertson, L Morgan, L Tobler, M Busch. Clinical significance of non-discriminated reactive results using the Chiron Procleix HIV-1/HCV assay. Transfusion (2004).
J Rousseau, Robert Williams, P Creemers. HLA-DRB1, DQA1, DQB1 and DPB1 polymorphisms in Namibian Khoi and San and in the Xhosa and South African mixed- ancestry populations. South African Journal of Science (2003).
M Tocheri, M Marzke, D Liu, M Bae, G Jones, Robert Williams, A Razdan. Functional Capabilities of modern and fossil hominid hands: Three-dimensional analysis of trapezia. American Journal of Physical Anthropology (2003).
Robert Williams. The mind of primitive anthropologists: Hemoglobin and HLA, patterns of molecular evolution. Human Biology (2003).
R Eckman, Robert Williams, Craig Nagoshi. Marital assortment for genetic similarity. Journal of Biosocial Science (2002).
Robert Williams, J Long, R Hanson, M Sievers, W Knowler. Individual estimates of European genetic admixture associated with lower body mass index, plasma glucose, and prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Pima Indians. The American Journal of Human Genetics (2000).

Research Activity

Williams,Robert Charles*. NIDDM IN CHEROKEE OF OKLAHOMA. UNIV OF OKLAHOMA-HSC(2/1/1996 - 1/31/2000).
Williams,Robert Charles*. NIDDM IN CHEROKEE INDIANS OKLAHOMA. UNIV OF OKLAHOMA-HSC(2/1/1995 - 1/31/1996).
Williams,Robert Charles*. INDIVIDUAL GENETIC ADMIXTURE. MEDLANTIC RESEARCH FDN(10/1/1992 - 7/31/1995).
Williams,Robert Charles*. NATIVE AMERICAN/HISPANIC WORKSHOP. AMER SOC HSTOCMPTBLTY & IMMUN(1/1/1965 - 6/1/1998).

Presentations

Dunn Williams, J, Williams, Robert, Robertson, G, Spizman, R, Dawson, R, Caglioti, S. Implications of the FDA NAT Guidance-for-Industry Document. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Blood Banks (Oct 2006).
Williams, J, Robertson, G, Williams, Robert, Spizman, R, Houghton, D, Caglioti, S. Seasonal Monitoring for West Nile Virus RNA in Blood Donor Screening. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Blood Banks (Oct 2006).
Williams, J, Williams, Robert, Robertson, G, Spizman, R, Houghton, D, Caglioti, S. A Multi-Year Geographic Analysis of West Nile Virus RNA Acitivity in Blood Donors. Annual Meeting of the American Society of Blood Banks (Oct 2006).
Williams, J, Williams, Robert, Robertson, G, Spizman, R, Morgan, L, Ostboe, P, Houghton, D, Caglioti, S. Evaluating Blood Donor Screening Assays for West Nile Virus Years 2003-2005. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Blood Banks (Oct 2006).
Jones, J, Sage, M, McAuley, J, Robertson, G, Williams, Robert, Caglioti, S. Evaluation of External Quality Control Material for Nucleic Acid Testing. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Blood Banks (Oct 2005).
McAuley, J, Caglioti, S, Robertson, G, Glanzer, T, Williams, Robert, Sarkissian, V, Bayer, B, Reynolds, W, Powell, L, Dockter, J, Estes, P, Wang, S, Baker, C, McCormick, M, Giachetti, C, Armstrong, G, Stramer, S. Multi-site study of the Procleix Ultrio assay using the enhanced semi-automated system compared with the TIGRIS automated system. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Blood Banks (Oct 2005).
McAuley, J, Jones, J, Robertson, G, Williams, Robert, McCormick, M, Powell, L, Linnen, J, Magic, S, Roper, P, Baker, C, Giachetti, C, Armstrong, G, Caglioti, S. Procleix WNV Assay Specificity and Reproducibility Analysis at a Blood Screening Laboratory. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Blood Banks (Oct 2005).
Tocheri, M, Scott, J, Williams, Robert. A Monte Carlo simulation method for estimating interspecific scaling relationships in the absence of specimen-specific body mass data. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (Apr 2005).
McAuley, J, Williams, Robert, Robertson, G, Jones, J, Ostboe, P, Morgan, L, Caglioti, S. Specificity analysis of the Procleix Ultrio assays with volunteer blood donor specimans. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Blood Banks (Oct 2004).
Williams, Robert. How 'handy' was Homo habilis anyway? A 3D comparative analysis of the trapezium. Canadian Association of Physical Anthropologists (Oct 2002).
Williams, Robert. Efficacy Assessmnt of the Procleix dHIV-1 Assay in a Vaccine Clinical Trial. American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)
Williams, Robert. Performance Assessment of the COBAS AmplicScreen and Procleix TMA HIV-1 and HCV Assays. American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)

Service

Organizing Committee, 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Registrar and Member (2003 - Present)
Personnel Committee, Chairman (2007 - 2008)
Blood Systems Laboratories at Blood Systems Inc., Unpaid statistical consultant and programmer (2007 - 2007)
Physical Anthropology Subdiscipline, member (2007 - 2007)
School Research Committee, Member (2006 - 2007)
Undergraduate Committee, Member (2006 - 2007)
Personnel Committee, Teaching analysis (2007 - 2007)
University Committee on Research Collaborations, Member (2007 - 2007)
Blood Systems HLA Laboratory, Unpaid Consulant (2006 - 2006)
Blood Systems Laboratories, Unpaid Consultant (2006 - 2006)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Phoenix, Unpaid Consultant (2006 - 2006)
School Museum, Contributor to the Day of the Dead Exhibit (2006 - 2006)
Physical Anthropology Subdiscipline, Chair (2005 - 2005)
Museum, Photographer (2005 - 2005)
Undergraduate Committee, Photographer (2005 - 2005)
Search Committee for Alexandra Brewis-Slade, Member (2005 - 2005)
Department Computers Committee, Member (2004 - 2005)
Affirmative Action Representative, Member (2003 - 2005)
Undergraduate Committee, Programmer, Data Analysis (2005 - 2005)
Personnel Committee, Programmer, Data Analysis (2005 - 2005)
Arcadia High School Honors Club, Speaker (2004)
Museum, Photographer (2004)
Personnel Committee, Programmer, Data Analysis (2004)
Undergraduate Committee, Photographer (2004)
Undergraduate Committee, Programmer, Data Analysis (2004)
Department Computer Committee, Member (2003 - 2004)
College of Liberal Arts Standards Committee, Chairman (2001 - 2004)
American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Registrar for National Meeting (2003)
College of Liberal Arts Standards Committee, Chairman (2003)
Undergraduate Committee, Member (2003)

Expertise Areas

Epidemiology

Genetics

Evolution and Developmental Biology