Dara Burdette

Dara Burdette has a long and varied work experience. Dara began their career in 1998 as a Research Technician at Millennium Pharmaceuticals. Dara then moved to Amgen in 1999 and UCLA in 2000, both as a Research Technician. In 2003, they began their graduate studies at Southern Methodist University, where they completed their M.S. thesis "Characterization of TRACK, trypanosomal receptor for activated C kinase in Trypanosoma brucei". Dara then moved to UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, where they completed their Ph.D. thesis "Characterization of VopQ, a type III secreted effector protein from Vibrio parahaemolyticus". In 2009, they became a Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley, where they focused on understanding how to distinguish pathogenic organisms from non-pathogenic organisms, specifically the Gram-negative bacterial signaling molecule cyclic di-GMP (and other related cyclic dinucleotides). Dara identified the host innate immune receptor as STING and key residues in human STING important for responsiveness to cyclic dinucleotides. In 2013, they began their career at Gilead Sciences as a Senior Research Scientist II, eventually becoming a Senior Research Scientist I, Research Scientist II, and Research Scientist I. Finally, in 2021, they moved to Tempest as Executive Director, Discovery Research and Senior Director, Discovery Research.

Dara Burdette's education history includes a Ph.D. in Microbiology from UT Southwestern Medical Center (2003-2009), an M.S. in Biological Sciences from Southern Methodist University (2000-2003), a B.A. in Biology from Boston University (1995-1999), and attendance at Harvard-Westlake (1989-1995) and Curtis School.