Dr. Gary K. Michelson is an inventor, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and former board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon whose innovations transformed spinal surgery. His procedures, instruments, and implants improved patient outcomes and became global industry standards. He holds more than 990 patents worldwide and is among the few individuals inducted into both the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the National Academy of Inventors. 

Dr. Michelson is founder and co-chair of Michelson Philanthropies, advancing medical research, animal welfare, and education. He is co-founder and board chair of the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy (CIII). In 2024, he and his wife, Alya, committed $120 million to launch CIII at UCLA, supporting rapid vaccine development, microbiome science, and early-career immunology researchers. 

Deeply invested in Los Angeles’ bioscience ecosystem, the Michelsons established the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, an interdisciplinary hub designed to accelerate discoveries and translate them into solutions that improve human health. 

,