Antje Schaefer, PhD
​Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology & Toxicology and the MCW Cancer Center

Dr. Antje Schaefer joined the Medical College of Wisconsin as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in September 2024. 
 Prior to joining MCW, Dr. Schaefer was a Research Assistant Professor with Dr. Channing Der at the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). She identified that the two most common mutations in the RHOA GTPase in gastric cancer are oncogenic cancer drivers and defined novel therapeutic targets for patient-tailored gastric cancer therapies. Her publications are among one of the first comprehensive studies in the field elucidating the cancer-driving functions of RHOA mutations. In addition, she defined how RHOA-dependent tumor cell plasticity drives therapy resistance in RAS-mutant pancreatic, colorectal and head-and-neck-cancers. Dr. Schaefer pursued her PhD in RHO and RAS GTPase structure & biochemistry in the laboratory of Dr. Alfred Wittinghofer at the Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Physiology in Dortmund, Germany. As a graduate student, she was recognized as a Minerva FemmeNet Program member of the Max-Planck Society. Dr. Schaefer conducted her postdoctoral training with Dr. Peter Hordijk at the Sanquin Blood Institute, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, The Netherlands. She identified how blood vessel stiffening contributes to the progression of inflammation and atherosclerosis. For her work, Dr. Schaefer was awarded a Sanquin Blood Foundation Research Grant. 

Outside of the lab, she enjoys biking or watching college basketball.  

David Grau
​Research Technician 

David graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Spring of 2020 with a degree in Genetics and Genomics. He started working as a research technician at the Medical College of Wisconsin in March of 2021. David worked for 3 years in the lab of Dr. Sang Lee (Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology), studying neuropharmacology related to Alzheimer’s Disease and other neuropsychological conditions. He joined the Schaefer Lab in December of 2024.
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In his free time, David enjoys making various soups. His favorite is Potato Leek.

Emily Maccoux
​Research Technician 

Emily graduated from the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire in Spring of 2024 with a degree in Biochemistry Molecular Biology.  She started as a research technician at the Medical College of Wisconsin in May of 2024 in Dr. Lezi E's lab (Neuroscience Research Center). There she studied non-neuronal signals that trigger the onset of neurodegeneration in aging. She joined the Schaefer Lab in July 2025.

​In her free time, Emily likes to play piano, go on hikes, and watch soccer and basketball.  

Nasya Miller 
​Graduate Student - IDP Program

Nasya graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Spring of 2024 with a degree in Genetics and Genomics. She continued her undergraduate research in UW-Madison’s Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program from July 2024 to July 2025 in Dr. Christina Hull’s lab. There she studied germination patterns in the human fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans. Nasya became a graduate student at the Medical College of Wisconsin in August 2025 and joined the Schaefer Lab in February 2026.
 
In her free time, Nasya enjoys trying new restaurants, going to festivals, and playing volleyball.




​YOU could be here! 

LAB ALUMNI

Blake Babyak - IDP Rotation Student, 2026 - now: IDP Graduate Program, Medical College of Wisconsin
Anna Berthiaume - IDP Rotation Student, 2025 - now: IDP Graduate Program, Medical College of Wisconsin 
​Jack Russo - IDP Rotation Student, 2025 - now: IDP Graduate Program, Medical College of Wisconsin
Kai Liptow - MSTP (MD/PhD) Rotation Student, 2025  - now: MSTP Graduate Program, Medical College of Wisconsin
Vibhu Guda - SPUR Summer Student, 2025  - now: Undergraduate,  Molecular & Cellular Biology Program, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor 



Copyright: 2026 A. Schaefer. All rights reserved.