Professor Julie Williams is a Professor at the Department of Psychological Medicine within the School of Medicine at Cardiff University


Finalist: Team Leader

Professor Julie Williams has worked with the School of Medicine at Cardiff University for 16 years and has progressed from the post of research assistant to Professor. She has been instrumental in leading staff projects that have made a real difference in the world of psychiatric genetics.

Throughout her career, she has secured numerous high profile research grants worth millions of pounds for research into areas such as Alzheimers and Dyslexia. Julie has led her teams to push the boundaries of knowledge, furthering medical progress in each area and helping to build the reputation of Cardiff University as a powerhouse of medical research.

Her successes have included the discovery of the gene KIAA0319 in 2005, which could be one of the causes of dyslexia. In her most recent project, Julie is heading a team which is undertaking the largest ever genetic study of Alzheimers.

Three groups have emerged from her research including Alzheimers disease, development in Dyslexia and Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, which has gained recognition world wide.

Julie is an inspirational leader who provides her research teams with the guidance and encouragement needed in the field of medical research. She is an approachable and knowledgeable manager who leads by example, is consistently enthusiastic and strives to create a positive work environment for her research team. She is a great communicator, sharing her extensive knowledge of psychiatric genetics with all her staff. She is open to her team’s ideas, consistently emphasising the value of their contributions. Many of Julie Williams’ research staff has developed their careers under her expert guidance.

Julie operates an inclusive and collaborative approach to leadership, treating individuals with dignity. She is an exceptional team leader, strategic, innovative and optimistic.

Tell us something your colleagues don’t know about you?
I like the Clash

Who inspires you?
People who are enthusiastic and push themselves to succeed

What is your top leadership tip?

Talk to the people you work with and listen to their needs and treat people as individuals