Dan McCalley, PhD is developing non-invasive, neural-circuit specific therapeutic tools for individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). In graduate school, Dan became interested in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a form of non-invasive brain stimulation that has shown immense promise in helping individuals achieve sobriety. Dan led a large-scale analysis of a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial which delivered 10 sessions of TMS to individuals with AUD over 10 days. Following this treatment, individuals who received TMS, relative to sham, were nearly 3X more likely to stay sober for 3 months.

Now a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University, Dan is interested in leveraging patient-level neuroimaging data to develop TMS-based treatment approaches that are tailored to each unique individual with an Alcohol Use Disorder. In a recent, retrospective analysis, Dan demonstrated that incorporating features of individual brain function and structure into treatment may improve one’s likelihood of remaining sober for 3 months by 5-6X.

He is committed to continuing to develop innovative and impactful treatment strategies for individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder. Dan strives to be an excellent mentor to his students and is an ardent advocate for LGBTQIA+ advancement and equity within the sciences. Outside of his research, Dan enjoys traveling, hiking, tending to his plants, binge watching survivor, and spending time with friends and family.