Dr. Williams is the Associate Dean for Physician-Scientist Education and Training, holds an Endowed Directorship in Physician-Scientist Development, is the Harvie Branscomb Distinguished University Professor, and is a Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology. He has directed the Vanderbilt Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) since 2016, and before that, he ran the Harrison Society (PSTP/ABIM Research Pathway). He is contact PI of Vanderbilt’s R38-STaRR and the associate director of the Burroughs Welcome Fund Physician-Scientist Institutional Program. He was inducted into the American Society of Clinical Investigation in 2015 and has been active in the AAMC, ASCI, AAIM, NAMPA, and APSA in developing programming supporting physician-scientist careers, recently leading the ASCI Working Group on Physician-Scientist Training; prior founding co-chair of the ASCI Physician-Scientist Development Committee, AAIM Research Committee and currently chairs the AAMC Training Opportunities for Physician Scientists Committee, serves as a member of the AAMC GREAT MD/Ph.D. Training Section Steering Committee, the National Association of MD/Ph.D. Directors Steering Committee, as well as sitting on the Board of Directors for the American Physician-Scientist Association (APSA). His clinical interests are in managing inflammatory bowel disease and preventing IBD-related complications, specifically colitis-associate carcinoma. His research program is focused on intestinal injury response/repair programs to understand how these epithelial integrity programs are perturbed in the pathogenesis of IBD and, more importantly, in the progression to malignancy with the overarching goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets or biomarkers in this disease. Dr. Williams received his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University before matriculating to Vanderbilt University as an MSTP trainee. He was selected for the ABIM Research Pathway Residency and received sub-specialty training in Gastroenterology. He joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 2007.