The McFall Lab
LAB MEMBERS
Dr. Thomas McFall
Principle Investigator
Dr. McFall is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he joined the faculty in 2021. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science from Northern Michigan University, followed by an MBA from the Donald W. Maine School of Business at Davenport University. He then earned his PhD in Oncology and Cancer Biology from Wayne State University School of Medicine at the Karmanos Cancer Institute, where he investigated the role of progesterone receptor isoforms in promoting invasion and metastasis in luminal breast cancer. He completed his postdoctoral training at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where he began his foundational work in RAS biology.
Prior to joining MCW, Dr. McFall served as a Senior Scientist and Biology Lead at Ideaya Biosciences, where he provided biological expertise to identify novel pharmacological inhibitors.
Dr. McFall's laboratory is focused on understanding the resistance mechanisms that arise following targeted treatment of RAS-mutant cancers, with the ultimate goal of improving therapeutic strategies for patients with pancreatic cancer and colorectal cancer. His lab employs a systems-level biochemical approach that combines computational and experimental methods to uncover allele- and cancer-type-specific differences among RAS proteins and their roles in the MAPK signaling pathway. He is particularly known for his work on the KRAS-G12R mutant and his discoveries surrounding RAS mutant sensitivity to EGFR inhibition, including the identification of over 10 RAS mutants that respond to EGFR inhibitor therapy. His research has been published in Cancer Research, npj Precision Oncology and Cell Reports, among others.
View his publication list on Google Scholar.
His lab's work is supported by an NIH R01 award and funding from multiple private research sponsors.
Likes: mountain biking and spending time with his three dogs and wife
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Raven Davidson
Lab Manager
Raven Davidson serves as the Lab Manager of the McFall Laboratory at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Her passion for science began early, having studied Biotechnology at her vocational high school. In 2016, she was selected for the prestigious Broad Summer Scholars Program at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, where she begun her research journey under a pediatric neuro-oncologist and scientist, an experience that set her on the path toward a career in research.
Raven went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from Boston College in 2021. Following graduation, she relocated to Wisconsin to pursue research technician work in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at MCW, before joining the McFall Lab in 2022. She brings extensive bench-top expertise to the team, including 2D and 3D cell culture, protein quantification, drug screening, and immunohistology, as well as animal work experience encompassing operant behavioral paradigms, rat intracranial surgery, and mouse xenografts.
Beyond her technical contributions, Raven plays a central role in the day-to-day operations and organization of the lab. She plans to continue supporting the McFall Lab's research mission while pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree in the coming years.
Likes: reading with her cat by her side, hiking, and eating spicy ramen
Matt Socher
Post Doctoral Fellow
Matt Socher researched the lac repressor, merging in vivo and in vitro studies to demonstrate precise control over gene regulation. During his postdoctoral work, they re-engineered the lac repressor for gene therapeutic applications, showcasing reversible gene expression in living mice.
He brings a wealth of experience from his data science career, including leading the Data Science team at Ginkgo Bioworks, where he leveraged automation and machine learning to curate and merge large synthetic biology datasets. Prior to that, he spent five years at Progressive Insurance, deploying machine learning models to personalize customer experiences and predict driver risk from telematics data. Currently, he applies his data science expertise to study pancreatic cancer.
Likes: coffee runs
Daniel Dorbin
PhD Candidate
Daniel Dorbin earned his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Arizona State University, with a concentration in cellular and molecular biology. At MCW, Daniel has worked on a plethora of projects spanning multiple disciplines, but his dissertation project focuses on repurposing existing/approved medications in alternative contexts to convert pro-oncogenic signals into anti-proliferative signals.
Daniel possesses advanced biochemical, cell culture, research design, and public speaking skills and employs these skillsets beyond the McFall Lab. Daniel is active on multiple MCW- and student-led committees, mentors first-year students, and volunteers regularly at community centers focusing on suicide prevention.
Likes: long runs and spending time with his wife and daughter
Juliannie Hererra
PhD Student
Juliannie Herrera earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Detroit Mercy in 2023, where she contributed to research investigating the genetic diversity of endangered bird populations using microsatellite analysis to assess inbreeding.
In February 2024, Juliannie joined the McFall Lab as a PhD student through the Interdisciplinary PhD (IDP) program at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she is currently in her second year. Her current research investigates the characteristics of multiple RAS mutants in pancreatic cancer, exploring how their unique biochemical behaviors can inform more effective combination therapies tailored to specific mutations. She primarily utilizes biochemical and molecular biology techniques to characterize these allele-specific differences.
Juliannie is driven by a passion for meaningful, patient-centered research and hopes to apply her expertise in industry following the completion of her PhD, contributing to the development of novel cancer therapeutics.
Likes: reading YA fiction and walks by the beach
Forough Sayahpour
Research Technician
Forough Sayahpour joined the lab in January 2025. Before that, she worked at the School of Dentistry at Marquette University. She holds a master’s degree in Molecular Cell Biology from the Royan Institute in Tehran, Iran, and spent over a decade in the Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at the Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR. Her research background spans regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, molecular biology, gene expression analysis, and mesenchymal stem cell biology — including applications, differentiation, in-vitro expansion, and senescence.
Likes: coffee and chocolate and watching European football
Nathan Atallah
Undergraduate Research Intern
Nathan Atallah serves as an Undergraduate Research Intern in the McFall Laboratory at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Biology at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, with an expected graduation date of May 2029.
Nathan's foundation in research began in 2025 when he was accepted into the SEA-PHAGES program at Hope College, where he conducted research under Dr. Joseph Stukey, a molecular biologist. Through this experience, he developed hands-on laboratory skills including DNA isolation and purification from microorganisms, gel electrophoresis, and gel imaging, as well as proficiency in bioinformatics and gene annotation in microorganisms.
Nathan joined the McFall Lab with a strong interest in cancer biology and hopes to leverage his research experience as he pursues his long-term goal of attending medical school at MCW following the completion of his undergraduate degree.
Likes: gym sessions, watching soccer and baseball and being outside in nature
LAB ALUMNI
Ella Scheuber
Research Technician
Ella earned an undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University in Biology with a concentration in Cellular and Molecular Biology. She spent the majority of her undergraduate degree learning techniques that would round out her experience as a young scientist. She possesses cell culture, recombinant DNA, and scanning electron microscopy technique skills. Ella has secured a leadership position in another cancer lab at MCW continuing her work and passion for research. She continues to broaden her knowledge of niche genetic research and therapeutic treatment strategies for cancer patients.
Anita Guizar
Masters Graduate
Anita earned her BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She joined the McFall lab soon after as a research technologist before joining the Interdisciplinary Program at MCW. Anita received a MS in Biochemistry in 2024 through defense of her thesis, "The Role of Wild-Type Ras in Regulating Intrinsic Resistance to KRAS G12C inhibitors."
Jaquelyn Whitmann
Medical Student
Jacqui was part of the McFall Lab in summer 2025 through MCW’s Medical Student Summer Research Program (MSSRP). She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology with a physics minor from Loyola University Chicago. She previously worked in the Sigmund Lab as part of MCW’s Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR). Jacqui also collaborates with Dr. Mandana Kamgar, an expert in precision medicine and medical oncology, on clinical research analyzing individualized therapies for patients with pancreatic cancer. During her gap year before medical school, she worked as a medical assistant at an urgent care clinic, further developing her clinical skills. She is passionate about translating discoveries from bench research to bedside care, with current specialty interests in oncology, cardiology, anesthesiology, and emergency medicine.