People

 David R. Raleigh, MD, PhD

  Associate Professor

  Michael McDermott, MD, Professor

  Principal Investigator and Preclinical Therapeutics Core Director

  Departments of Radiation Oncology, Neurological Surgery, and Pathology

  University of California San Francisco

  [email protected]

Dr. David Raleigh received his undergraduate degrees from the University of California Berkeley, and his medical and doctoral degrees from the University of Chicago. Dr. Raleigh completed his residency training in the Department of Radiation Oncology at UCSF, and he trained as a postdoctoral scholar with Dr. Jeremy Reiter in the Department of Biochemistry at UCSF. He is a member of the faculty in the UCSF Departments of Radiation Oncology, Neurological Surgery, and Pathology, where he is specialized in the treatment and investigation of central nervous system tumors in adult and pediatric patients. In the laboratory, Dr. Raleigh is a Principal Investigator in the UCSF Brain Tumor Center and uses mouse genetics, genomics, cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, cerebral organoids, single-cell and spatial genomic techniques, and pharmacology to study the genomic, biochemical, and cellular drivers of tumor heterogeneity and evolution. Dr. Raleigh is also the director of the UCSF Brain Tumor Center Preclinical Core, a longstanding facility within the Department of Neurological Surgery specialized in organoid and patient-derived xenograph models of brain cancer. When he's not in the lab... or thinking about the lab... or writing things for the lab... David loves spending time with his wife, 2 children, and dog at their home in San Francisco, where he enjoys cooking and starting longingly at the surfboards and road bikes he no longer has time to use. 

Current Lab Members

Charlotte Eaton is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Raleigh Lab. She received her PhD from the University of Birmingham (UK) in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. In the Raleigh Lab, Charlotte is focussed on utilizing biochemistry, molecular and cell biology techniques, and CRISPR technology to understand the molecular mechanisms that drive Merlin-intact meningiomas. When not in lab Charlotte is a keen (but slow) runner, a pork pie enthusiast and a G&T connoisseur. 

Will Chen is a radiation oncology resident at UCSF. He has a background in biomedical engineering and works on clinical, informatics, and translational projects aiming to improve prognostication of meningioma outcomes and guide meningioma treatment. Outside of work, Will enjoys photography and searching for the best noodle soups and/or chicken wings in the Bay area.   

Minh Nguyen is a medical student at UCSF. In the Raleigh lab, his research studies the drivers of meningioma growth and their mechanisms of resistance to treatment. His other research interests include clinical outcomes for meningioma treatments and how to predict them. When not in lab, he is mostly studying. When not studying, he enjoys exploring restaurants, hiking, and playing music.

Addie Cady is a second-year PhD student in the TETRAD program at UCSF. After graduating from Duke University in 2017 with a B.S. in Biology, she spent three years studying photoreceptor biochemistry with a focus in molecular proteomics with the Arshavsky lab at the Duke Medical Center. As a member of the Raleigh lab, she is currently focused on employing biochemistry, cell biology, and proteomic techniques to elucidate the molecular players that drive meningioma pathology. Outside of lab, Addie spends her time backpacking, skiing, cooking, and spending time with her (amazing) pup Kona.

Akshara Vykunta started in the Raleigh lab as an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley, where she majored in Molecular and Cell Biology. In the Raleigh Lab now as Staff Research Associate, her research focuses on defining the core Hedgehog transcriptional program and signaling mechanisms in meningiomas. In her free time, Akshara enjoys painting, exploring art museums, skateboarding, or stargazing. 

Damian Almiron-Bonnin is a pathology resident on the physician-scientist pathway at UCSF. He completed the MD-PhD program at Dartmouth, where he focused his research on studying secretion-mediated pathways of resistance and self-renewal in brain tumors. Following that, he undertook a post-doctoral fellowship at Fred Hutch, where his work centered around investigating alternative splicing in cancer biology and exploring the molecular landscape of CNS tumors. Damian now aims to leverage methods from evolutionary biology to unveil the mechanisms of cancer evolution. His objective is to refine tumor classification and contribute to the advancement of precision medicine. In his personal life, he enjoys spending time with his family, engaging in charity work, and pursuing hobbies such as soccer and chess. 

Kanish Mirchia is a neuropathology fellow in the Department of Pathology at UCSF. He completed medical school in India, followed by research in mechanisms of axonal injury and regeneration in multiple sclerosis at Mayo Clinic, and pathology residency at SUNY Upstate in New York. His research is motivated by the need for accurate classification schemes of brain tumors to inform proper treatment of patients. In the Raleigh Lab, Kanish hopes to leverage multiplatform sequencing techniques to identify diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in brain tumors and to develop useful ancillary assays that can be translated to clinical neuropathology and neurooncology practice. Kanish’s hobbies include coffee drinking, track racing, and restoring “vintage” cars. 

Kyla Foster (she/her) is a PhD student in the Biomedical Sciences program at UCSF.  After graduating from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2019 with degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, she spent two years at the Broad Institute researching genetic dependencies in MSI cancers.  As a member of the Raleigh Lab, she is using emerging genomic techniques to better understand and therapeutically exploit cell state differences in meningioma and glioblastoma.  Outside of lab, Kyla enjoys exploring California with her friends, hiking, backpacking, baking, and is considered the best dogsitter west of the Mississippi.

Eze Goldschmidt is an Assistant Professor in the UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery who cares for patients with brain, skull base and pituitary gland tumors. His clinical experience treating patients with skull base tumors has led him to questions related to the biology of meningioma biology and the possibility of medically treating patients that have exhausted all surgical treatments. Specifically, Eze seeks to understand how meningiomas interact with the skull and, contrary to most tumors, induce bony deposition. A proud member of the Latinx community, Eze earned his medical degree and doctorate at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina, where he studied the regeneration of human dura (the outermost membrane covering the brain). He completed a residency in neurosurgery and a fellowship in skull base surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. At the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, he completed a postdoctoral surgical fellowship in neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain's neural pathways to change in response to stimulation ranging from new information to injury). In his free time, Eze enjoys walking his dog, petting his dog, and watching movies with his dog (who we believe enjoys those activities as well).

Ayush Aggarwal is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Raleigh Lab. He received his PhD from CSIR - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (India) in Cell Biology and Bioinformatics. In the Raleigh Lab, Ayush is focussed on utilizing molecular and cell biology techniques combined with single-cell technology to understand the molecular mechanisms driving cellular heterogeneity in meningiomas and schwannomas. Outside the lab, Ayush enjoys delving into the expansive virtual world of gaming and is an avid trekking and hiking enthusiast.

Alex Haddad is a Resident Physician in the UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery with a particular interest in gene therapy, immunotherapy, synthetic biology, and viral vector development. Through his clinical and research work, he aims to contribute to the ongoing efforts to improve cell and gene therapies for CNS pathologies. Outside of work, Alex enjoys spending time with his family, grilling, and exploring restauratns in the Bay Area. 

Yasaman Barekatain is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Raleigh Lab. She received her PhD from MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she studied glioblastoma metabolism. In the Raleigh Lab, she is focused on understanding meningioma metabolism to identify new therapeutic targets and biomarkers. Outside the lab, she enjoys cooking and exploring the Bay Area.

Leilei Zhou is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Raleigh Lab, where she investigates mechanisms driving meningioma tumorigenesis using patient-derived surgical samples and iPSC-based models. Her objectives are to identify potential therapeutics for treating meningiomas, and to understand fundamental mechanisms underlying the earliest stages of meningeal tumorigenesis. Leilei received her PhD in Tumor Biology and Stem Cells from the Karolinska Institutet. Outside of the lab, she enjoys visiting museums, backpacking, hiking, and exploring the outdoors.

Jun Suzuka is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Raleigh Lab. He received his PhD from the Department of Cancer Pathology in the Graduate School of Medicine at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan. His research interests reolve around tumor development and acquired resistance to therapy, focusing on cancer stem cells. In the Raleigh Lab, he is using cell lineage tracing approaches to study meningioma development and response and resistance to treatment. His hobbies include photography and baseball.  

Zora Arum is a Clinical Research Coordinator with the Meningioma Multidisciplinary Clinic, working on the Prospective Biomarker Evaluation in All Meningioma (BEAM) and Living with Meningioma studies. Zora graduated from Princeton University in 2022, where she completed the pre-med track with a BA in English. After graduation, Zora served as an Staff Research Associate in the Raleigh Lab before going on hiatus to see the world and scoop popcorn at the Mission’s Roxie Theater, which is one of her favorite places on Earth. When Zora is not at work or at the movies, she loves to lay in the grass, read Modernist novels, tell long stories (with lots of gesticulation), and stop to smell the eucalyptus.

Tim Koen is an undergraduate student at San Francisco State University, majoring in Biology with a concentration in Physiology. He is a undergraduate researcher in the Raleigh Lab, where he studies molecular mechanisms underlying meningioma-induced hyperostosis. When he’s not studying or at school, he enjoys rock climbing, reading, trekking, and the occasional video game playing.

Kayleigh Capati is an undergrauduate student studying Microbiology at San Francisco State University. In the Raleigh Lab, Kayleigh works as an undergraduate researcher, focusing on molecular techniques to understand meningioma hyperostosis and tumor evolution. These projects seek to identify the specific mutations and understand their role in the development of cancer. Outside of the lab, Kayleigh loves to sew, watch movies, visit antique stores, and explore the Bay Area. 

Brooke Braman is a resident physician in the Department of Radiation Oncology at UCSF. She completed undergraduate training in Biomedical Engineering and medical school at the University of Minnesota where she was involved in developing and characterizing a novel, genetically engineered spontaneous mouse model of glioblastoma. Her research now seeks to identify factors predicting glioblastoma response to radiation. Outside of work, Brooke enjoys cycling, hiking, skiing, and trying as many fantastic San Francisco restaurants as she can.

Lab Alumni

Pervinder Kaur Choksi, Assistant Specialist

Next position: UCSF Tetrad Graduate Student

Alexis Leigh Krup PhD, Assistant Specialist

Next Position: UCSF BMS Graduate Student

Sarah Findakly-Oshima, Lab Manager

Next Position: Lab Manager back home in Paris

Abrar Choudhury MD PhD, UCSF MSTP student

Next Position: Harvard Radiation Oncology Residency Program

Vikas Daggubati PhD, UCSF MSTP student

Next Position: UCSF medical school

Stephen T. Magill MD PhD, UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery Resident Physician and Postdoctoral Scholar

Next Position: Assistant Professor, Northwestern University Department of Neurological Surgery

Harish Vasudevan MD PhD, UCSF Department of Radiation Oncology Holman Research Pathway Resident Physician and Postdoctoral Scholar

Next Position: Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator, UCSF Departments of Radiation Oncology and Neurological Surgery

Emily Payne MSc, Assistant Specialist

Next Position: Graduate school at the University of Edinburgh

CJ Lucas MD, UCSF Department of Pathology Neuropathology Fellow and Postdoctoral Scholar

Next Position: Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins Department of Pathology

Sydney Lastella, Lab Manager

Next Position: Graduate school in Plant Biology at the University of Texas at Austin

Zora Arum, Assistant Specialist

Next Position: Clinical Research Coordinator... also with The Raleigh Lab!

S. John Liu MD PhD, UCSF Department of Radiation Oncology Holman Research Pathway Resident Physician and Postdoctoral Scholar

Next Position: Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator, UCSF Departments of Radiation Oncology and Neurological Surgery

Zhenhong (Arya) Chen, Assistant Specialist

Next Position: Biotech

Diya Sinha, Undergraduate Researcher

Next Position: Clinical Research Coordinator

Joanna Pak, Assistant Specialist

Next Position: Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Jacob S. Young MD, UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery Resident Physician and Postdoctoral Scholar

Next Position: Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator, UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery

Isha Sethi, Clinical Research Coordinator

Next Position: Physical Therapy School

Tim Casey-Clyde PhD, UCSF Tetrad Graduate Student

Next Position: 64x Bio

Naomi Zakimi, Assistant Specialist

Next Position: Biotech

Lab Family