Tayler’s path to research began while earning her B.S. in Physiological Sciences at Marquette University. She then pursued a Ph.D. in Neurosciences at Washington University in St. Louis and became fascinated with pain neurobiology. Her doctoral work under the mentorship of Dr. Rob Gereau aimed to bridge the translational gap between rodent and human pain research by examining new measures for pain in rodents, as well as validating preclinical findings from rodents in human tissues. From there, Tayler completed her postdoctoral training with Dr. Sarah Ross at the University of Pittsburgh, and her work led to the discovery of the spinal neuron populations that encode itch and convey itch to the brain. In October of 2024, Tayler moved back to Milwaukee and joined the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy at the Medical College as an Assistant Professor.
Outside of the lab, Tayler spends most of her time playing with her daughter, drinking coffee, and running.
Brandon Wills, MS
Research Technician II
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Brandon received his B.A. in Biology from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. He moved to Milwaukee in 2016 where he pursued a Master’s degree in Biological Sciences at Marquette University investigating flagellar protein trafficking in green algae. After graduating, he worked as a Research Technologist II in MCW’s Microbiology & Immunology department until joining the Sheahan lab in November 2024. In his free time, Brandon enjoys homebrewing his own beer, playing music, watching sports, and hanging out with his wife, Angela, and his dogs, Huck and Becky.
Nicole Kooij, BS
IDP Graduate Student
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Nicole received her B.S. in Biomedical Science and Chemistry from University of Wisconsin – La Crosse in 2024. During undergrad, Nicole worked in King-Heiden lab studying the effects of chronic exposure of neonicotinoid pesticides on the behavior and innate immune system of zebrafish and fathead minnow embryos. She joined MCW right after undergrad to pursue her Ph.D. Outside of the lab, she enjoys skiing, hiking, reading, and playing with her dog Oscar.
Laney Waydick, BS
Research Technician I
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Laney received her B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Texas at Dallas. As an undergraduate student, she worked in Dr. Sven Kroener’s lab studying how vagus nerve stimulation effects drug seeking behaviors in rats. Laney joined the Sheahan Lab in July 2025, and plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in the future. When not in the lab, Laney enjoys antique shopping, going to the movies, being outdoors, and spending time with her cats, Tabby and Mei-Mei.
Avleen Benipal
Undergraduate Researcher, PURE Program
Avleen is a current undergraduate student at Marquette University where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences & Psychology. She plans to go onto medical school after graduating. She joined the Sheahan Lab in August 2025. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going on walks, and exploring the city of Milwaukee.
Lab Alumni
Tyler Trask, MHA IDP Rotation Student January-February 2025
Sheahan Lab 