Early Life
Gary K. Michelson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 14, 1949. He was raised by his mother and grandmother. His grandmother's struggles with syringomyelia, a spinal deformity, inspired his interest in spinal ailments.
Medical Career and Inventions
Michelson graduated from Central High School of Philadelphia in 1966. He attended Temple University and Hahnemann Medical College of Drexel University. He completed his medical residency in orthopedic surgery at Hahnemann Medical Hospital in 1979. He then specialized in spinal surgery at St. Luke's Medical Center. He practiced as a spinal surgeon for over 25 years. Seeing the low success rates in spinal surgery, Michelson developed new implants, instruments, and procedures. He holds over 950 patents worldwide for the treatment of spinal disorders. In 2005, he sold some of his patents to Medtronic for $1.35 billion.
Philanthropy
Michelson is involved in various philanthropic efforts. He founded the Michelson Medical Research Foundation, Michelson Found Animals Foundation, Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property, Michelson 20MM Foundation, and Michelson Neglected Disease Initiative. In 2008, the Michelson Found Animals Foundation launched the Michelson Prize and Grants in Reproductive Biology, a $75 million initiative. In 2016, he signed the Giving Pledge.
