Dr. Alex Williams

Supervisor

Dr. Chris West

Current Program

Awards

Dr. Williams is currently funded by the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research/International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries/Rick Hansen Institute Trainee Award, and has received the UBC Faculty of Medicine Bluma Tischler Postdoctoral Fellowship (2019-2020). Her research examining sex differences in SCI is funded by the CIHR 3-year Project Grant (co-applicant).

Biography

Dr. Wiliam’s future aspirations are to develop an integrative research program focused on cardio-autonomic physiology and sex-related differences in the heart. (And also continue to develop as a photographer and very novice person-who-climbs-rocks).

Current Research

Dr. Williams’ key interests are focused on autonomic control of the heart, as well as sex-related differences in cardiovascular physiology. Her current research at UBC and ICORD aims to characterize the acute impacts of traumatic high-level spinal cord injuries (SCI) on the heart, and further determine whether hemodynamic management strategies that harness the heart—rather than solely targeting blood pressure—can optimize short- and long-term cardiovascular and neurological outcomes following injury. The findings from this work may ultimately help to inform clinical practices and optimize acute treatment strategies for SCI patients. Dr. Williams’ research additionally seeks to identify sex-related differences in cardiac (dys)function and the incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease in individuals with SCI.

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