Steven McKnight

Steven McKnight is a Professor and former Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He holds appointments as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and has held roles at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. His research focuses on gene regulation, transcription factors, and molecular biology.

• Education:
• Bachelor’s in Biology, University of Texas (1974)
• PhD in Biology, University of Virginia (1977)
• Key Roles:
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator (1988–present)
• Chairman, Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern (1996–2007)
• Professional Affiliations:
• National Academy of Sciences
• Institute of Medicine
• American Academy of Arts and Sciences

His research pioneered the identification of regulatory DNA sequences in herpes simplex virus and the purification of transcription factors like C/EBP and GABP. He co-founded Tularik, a biotech company focused on gene-expression-based drug discovery.