Dalit Barkan

Dalit Barkan is the current advisor at Vuja De Sciences. Prior to that, they were the Manager of Collaborations and Intellectual Property at SQZ Biotech from November 2016 to July 2019. Before SQZ Biotech, they were a Postdoctoral Scholar/Fellow at Duke University Medical Center from October 2011 to October 2016.

During their time at Duke University Medical Center, Dr. Barkan utilized high-throughput and high content compound screening to identify environmental chemicals that increase proliferation of breast cancer cells and attenuate anticancer drug efficacy, while determining the mechanisms by which these compounds act. This work led to a first author publication, as well as a poster award, press conference and radio interviews.

Dalit also investigated mechanisms of oxidative stress, proliferative signaling and acquired therapeutic resistance in inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), culminating in a co-first author publication. Additionally, Dr. Barkan elucidated mechanisms of resistance towards cancer immunotherapy and identification of targeting strategies to overcome this resistance, leading to a second author publication. During their time at Duke University Medical Center, they directly oversaw the design and execution of individual projects, as well as projects for undergraduate mentees. Dr. Barkan also developed and wrote individual postdoctoral grants (5) as well as co-wrote laboratory grants with PI (15; 3 funded).

Dalit Barkan is a Duke University-educated chemist who has worked in the field of organic chemistry. Dalit received their B.S. Chemistry degree from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and their Ph.D. from Duke University.