In 2001, donations from various sources helped establish an endowment in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Frank McKnight, the parents of Steven McKnight, Ph.D., former Chair of the Department of Biochemistry.

This endowment provides support for research conducted by young scientists within the Department of Biochemistry, including support for an independent postdoctoral fellow.

This Sara and Frank McKnight Fellowship Program is modeled after an independent fellows program at the Department of Embryology of the Carnegie Institution of Washington where Dr. McKnight was able to receive the opportunity for early independence in the late 1970s.

Past McKnight Postdoctoral Fellows Include:

• Jared Rutter, Ph.D., who is now a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Utah
• Charles Dann, Ph.D., who is now an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Indiana University
• Trey (John) Fondon, Ph.D., who is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington
• Benjamin Tu, Ph.D., who is now an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Ryan Potts, Ph.D., who was an Assistant Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology at UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Helen Lai, Ph.D., who is now an Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Randal Halfmann, Ph.D., who is now an Assistant Investigator at Stowers Institute for Medical Research
• William Israelsen, Ph.D. who is now the VP of Operations at Skroot Laboratory Inc.

McKnight Student Fellows Include:

• Thu Nguyen, currently works under Dr. Deepak Nijhawan - September 1, 2020
• Cooper Vincent, currently works under Dr. Uttam Tambar - September 1, 2020
• James Henry McGinnis III, worked under Dr. David McFadden - December 1, 2018 - November 30, 2020
• Tabitha Chung-Yan Ting, worked under Dr. Deepak Nijhawan - December 1, 2018 - November 30, 2020
• Vaishnavi Nair, worked under Dr. Uttam Tambar - December 1, 2017 - November 30, 2019
• Han Wu, worked under Dr. Jennifer Kohler - December 1, 2017 - November 30, 2019