Dr. Rachel Williams

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My main research interest is in abnormalities of the growth hormone/IGF-I axis in adolescents and young adults with type one diabetes. Low circulating concentrations of IGF-I and subsequent GH hypersecretion may exacerbate insulin resistance and has also been implicated in the pathophysiology of microvascular complications. In conjunction with Prof. Dunger and Dr. Acerini, I have studied the effects of manipulation of parameters of the GH/IGF-I axis on insulin sensitivity and renal physiology. Other areas of interest include insulin physiology in other populations including women with Turner's Syndrome and children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Recent Key Publications:

Williams RM, Yuen K, White D, Mallard B, Dalton RN, Acerini CL and Dunger DB. Short-term suppression of elevated growth hormone concentrations following insulin-like growth factor 1 administration in young adults with type one diabetes does not alter glomerular filtration or albumin excretion rates. Clinical Endocrinology 2006: in press.

Saukkonen T, Shojaee-Moradie F, Williams RM, Amin R, Yuen KC, Watts A, Acerini CL, Umpleby AM, Dunger DB. Effects of Recombinant Human IGF-I/IGF-Binding Protein-3 Complex on Glucose and Glycerol Metabolism in Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes 2006;55:2365-2370.

Salgin B, Amin R, Yuen K, Williams RM, Murgatroyd P, Dunger DB. Insulin resistance is an intrinsic defect independent of fat mass in women with Turner's syndrome. Horm Res 2006; 65:69-75.

Amin R, Williams RM, Frystyk J, Umpleby M, Matthews D, Orskov H, Dalton RN, Dunger DB. Increasing urine albumin excretion is associated with growth hormone hypersecretion and reduced clearance of insulin in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes: the Oxford Regional Prospective Study. Clin Endocrinol 2005; 62:137-44.

Saukkonen T, Amin R, Williams RM, Fox C, Yuen KC, White MA, Umpleby AM, Acerini CL, Dunger DB. Dose-dependent effects of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I/IGF binding protein-3 complex on overnight growth hormone secretion and insulin sensitivity in type 1 diabetes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004; 89:4634-41.

George S, Rochford JJ, Wolfrum C, Gray SL, Schinner S, Wilson JC, Soos MA, Murgatroyd PR, Williams RM, Acerini CL, Dunger DB, Barford D, Umpleby AM, Wareham NJ, Davies HA, Schafer AJ, Stoffel M, O'Rahilly S, Barroso I. A family with severe insulin resistance and diabetes due to a mutation in AKT2. Science 2004; 304:1325-8.

Potau N, Williams R, Ong K, Sanchez-Ufarte C, de Zegher F, Ibanez L, Dunger D. Fasting insulin sensitivity and post-oral glucose hyperinsulinaemia related to cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents with precocious pubarche. Clin Endocrinol 2003; 59:756-62.

Williams RM, Amin R, Shojaee-Moradie F, Umpleby AM, Acerini CL, Dunger DB. The effects of a specific growth hormone antagonist on overnight insulin requirements and insulin sensitivity in young adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Diabetologia 2003; 46:1203-10.

Savage DB, Tan GD, Acerini CL, Jebb SA, Agostini M, Gurnell M, Williams RM, Umpleby AM, Thomas EL, Bell JD, Dixon AK, Dunne F, Boiani R, Cinti S, Vidal-Puig A, Karpe F, Chatterjee VK, O'Rahilly S. Human metabolic syndrome resulting from dominant-negative mutations in the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma. Diabetes 2003; 52:910-7.

Other publications in pubmed listed by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.