Dr. Gary Michelson is an inventor, philanthropist, entrepreneur and humane advocate who has a background as a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in spinal surgery. In the field of spinal surgery, where outcomes are unpredictable and recovery could be long and painful, Dr. Michelson’s revolutionary advancements in procedures, instruments, and implants consistently led to better patient outcomes. The surgical techniques and materials he developed remain the global industry standard. Dr. Michelson holds over 990 patents worldwide.
Among his many awards, citations and accomplishments, Dr. Michelson is one of a handful of individuals to ever be inducted into both the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the National Academy of Inventors. In 2006, he was recognized as the world’s leading scientist of spinal research by the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Among a group of prominent inventors who supported the America Invents Act of 2011, Dr. Michelson was invited to the White House by President Obama to witness the signing of that historic legislation.
In 2015, he was awarded both the Albert B. Sabin Humanitarian Award for his contributions toward neglected disease vaccine research, and the Distinguished Achievement Award from B’nai B’rith International for his leadership, philanthropy and humanitarian endeavors. He also received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (alongside Will Ferrell and Dame Helen Mirren) at USC’s 134th Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2017.
In 2022, he was honored with the Humanitarian Award from the Inner City Law Center for his longstanding commitment to serving unhoused and low-income populations throughout Los Angeles. That same year, he was awarded the IP Champion Award, Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation.
In 2024, he was awarded with The Tommy Lasorda Leadership Award from Milken Institute and the Humanitarian Award from the World Brain Mapping Foundation.
Most recently, in April 2025, he was honored with the Gordan and Llura Gund Leadership Award. This award is given to individuals who – through philanthropy, research, or other contributions – have increased the level of advocacy for medical, public health, and health-related research at the local or national level. Previous winners have included Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, and Michael Milken. Speaking at the event, Dr. Michelson quoted Milken while explaining his commitment to advocating for medical research in the context of government funding: “Michael Milken once told me, ‘Government is the great Archimedean lever.’ Government has the money and government has the power.”
Dr. Michelson founded, funds and directs the Michelson Philanthropies, a group of private foundations that focus their efforts on medical research, animal welfare and education. He and his wife, Alya Michelson, also donated $50 million to the University of Southern California in 2014 to fund the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience.
Dr. Michelson lives in California with his wife Alya, their three children, and their dog, Blue. They are active members of the Giving Pledge, a campaign founded by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett that encourages the wealthiest individuals and couples to contribute most of their fortune to philanthropic causes.