Rate My Professor Michael Williams

Professor Michael Williams is a Clinical Professor in the Cardiology section of the Department of Medicine at the University of Otago's Dunedin School of Medicine. He holds the qualifications MD, FRACP, FACC, and FCSANZ. His research interests include studying the effect of lifestyle factors and diet on arterial function and the development of arterial disease. As part of Heart Otago and the Cardiology Research Unit, his expertise covers general and interventional cardiology and clinical trials in clinical cardiovascular biology. Key areas of focus encompass coronary artery disease, blood pressure, myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, endothelial function, cardiovascular risk, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Professor Williams has made significant contributions through his publications and involvement in research projects. Notable publications include "Serial measurement of circulating cardiovascular-enriched microRNAs in patients with ischaemic heart disease – a five-year longitudinal study" (2025), "A DNA Methylation Marker, cg05575921 (AHRR), Outperforms Self-Reported Smoking Exposure for Its Association With Cardiovascular Disease Prevalence" (2025), "Menopausal Status and Sex Hormones in New Zealand Women With First-Time Acute Coronary Syndromes" (2025), "Impaired endothelial function following a meal rich in used cooking fat" (1999), and "Outcome after myocardial infarction without obstructive coronary arteries" (2019). His work supports multi-centre trials of new devices for coronary angioplasty and drugs for heart attacks, cholesterol, and arrhythmia management. Local studies address biomarkers for coronary stent re-stenosis, genes in aortic valve disease, exercise effects on diabetic cardiomyopathy using cardiac ultrasound and animal models, and the PUMAS trial on blood pressure reduction in aortic stenosis. He teaches cardiac integration topics and supervises postgraduate cardiology research.