Brenda Williams

Brenda.p.williams@kcl.ac.uk

Website

Research Interests

As a person who is passionate about education and believes that diversity and inclusion are essential for learning and innovation, my research focuses on promoting inclusivity, student wellbeing and success. Current projects include: • Decolonising the teaching curriculum in Neuroscience, and psychology. • Developing, implementing and evaluating the impact of positive psychology interventions to promote student wellbeing (at KCL and in Taiwan). • Promoting AI literacy for staff and students. • Understanding the attainment gap for PGR and PGT students

Most significant discovery

• Neurons and oligodendrocytes are derived from a common progenitor cell
(Williams et al., 1991)
• Glial cells are functionally impaired in juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
(Parviainen et al., 2017).

Educational Interests

• Curriculum design and development
• Neuroeducation
• Inclusive and diverse assessment and feedback practices
• Closing the attainment gap
• Supporting student success and wellbeing

Top 4 Publications

Williams et al. The generation of neurons and oligodendrocytes from a common precursor cell. Neuron, 1091. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/0896-6273(91)90381-9

Anderson GW, et al. Characterisation of neurons derived from a cortical human neural stem cell line CTX0E16. Stem Cell Res, 2015. https:// doi.org/10.1186/ s13287-015-01368

Michelucci A, et al. The Neurogenic Potential of Astrocytes Is Regulated by Inflammatory Signals. Mol Neurobiol, 2016. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s12035-015-9296-x

Parviainen L, et al. Glial cells from Juvenile Batten disease mice are functionally impaired and detrimental to neurons. Acta neuropathol commun , 2017. https://doi.org/10.1186/ s40478-017-0476-y

Methods / Expertise

• Neural stem cells
• Cellular models
• Neuron-glial interactions