10 Facts About Roderick MacKinnon

Roderick MacKinnon was born on February 19,1956 and is an American biophysicist, neuroscientist, and businessman.

Roderick MacKinnon is a professor of molecular neurobiology and biophysics at Rockefeller University who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with Peter Agre in 2003 for his work on the structure and operation of ion channels.

Roderick MacKinnon then transferred to Brandeis University after one year, and there he received a bachelor's degree in biochemistry in 1978, studying calcium transport through the cell membrane for his honors thesis in Christopher Miller's laboratory.

Roderick MacKinnon did not feel satisfied enough with the medical profession, so in 1986 he returned to Christopher Miller's laboratory at Brandeis for postdoctoral studies.

Roderick MacKinnon's prize-winning research was conducted primarily at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source of Cornell University, and at the National Synchrotron Light Source of Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Roderick MacKinnon was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2005.

Roderick MacKinnon is co-inventor with his friend and scientific collaborator, neurobiologist Bruce Bean of Harvard Medical School, of a dietary supplement for treating and preventing muscle cramps; they tested it in clinical trials and are co-founders a company to commercialize their invention, Flex Pharma.

Roderick MacKinnon undertook drug development of a formulation of supplement as a drug candidate for neuromuscular disorders like ALS, and raised a $40 million Series A round.

Roderick MacKinnon had an $86 million initial public offering in 2015.

In July 2018 Roderick MacKinnon resigned from the board of directors.