Philanthropy
“It is our responsibility to leave the world a better place than we found it. To make life a little less unfair for those less fortunate.”
— Dr. Gary K. Michelson
Dr. Gary K. Michelson is a board-certified orthopedic spinal surgeon, revolutionary inventor of medical technologies, self-made billionaire, and philanthropist. Retired from medical practice, he now focuses on catalytic opportunities to progress the fields of intellectual property, education, medical research, and animal welfare.
His foundations include Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property, Michelson 20MM Foundation, Michelson Medical Research Foundation, and Michelson Found Animals Foundation. Find out more about all of his philanthropic work at MichelsonPhilanthropies.org.
Supporting medical research to improve global health
Established in 1995, Michelson Medical Research Foundation, enables researchers to translate ideas into therapies that save lives. Michelson Medical has given vital boosts to people and programs through programmatic support, research prizes strategic investments, and other tools.
Recognizing the importance of fostering new generations of scientists, the foundation operates a series of Michelson Prizes which reward young researchers from around the world who investigate disruptive concepts and inventive processes to significantly advance human immunology and vaccine and immunotherapy discovery research for major global diseases.
In 2014, Dr. Michelson and his wife, Alya, personally gifted $50 million to the University of Southern California (USC) to fund the creation of the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience. This center brings together the brightest of global scientists, researchers and engineers to collaboratively approach the most pressing public health issues of our time. This unique interdisciplinary research site aspires to become a model for research universities.
Learn more at michelsonmedicalresearch.org.
Compassion for animals and the people who love them
As a medical student, Dr. Michelson was nearly expelled over his objection to removing healthy organs from living dogs in a surgical lab. His lifelong passion for animals led him to launch Michelson Found Animals Foundation.
MFA is a robust operating foundation that has channeled more than $100 million into a broad range of projects including research and advocacy that focuses on reducing shelter euthanasia, in-community programs that provide resources to pets and people in need, and impact investments in startups with the potential to improve the pet care industry. MFA also funds and operates Michelson Prizes and Grants in Reproductive Biology, which is a $50 million research grant commitment and $25 million prize offering for the development of non-surgical sterilization for cats and dogs.
Through its various programs and services, Michelson Found Animals has helped over 6 million companion animals over the past 15 years. Learn more at foundanimals.org.
Elevating principles of intellectual property
Dr. Michelson’s storied career as a medical innovator has driven his passion to spread awareness of importance of intellectual property (IP). In 2016, he created a comprehensive textbook on the subject (The Intangible Advantage: Understanding Intellectual Property in the New Economy), which was released free of charge and has been adopted by many colleges and universities throughout the country. Later, Dr. Michelson and leadership at Michelson 20MM Foundation co-developed an undergraduate course with the University of Southern California, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Intellectual Property.
Today, Michelson IP promotes national adoption of curricula to educate students on the principles of intellectual property and how to protect it. The foundation designs, tests, and shares IP education for the next generation of inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs – all at no cost.
Learn more at michelsonip.com.
Promoting equitable access to education for all
Michelson 20MM Foundation was founded in 2010 to improve educational access, efficacy, and equity for 20 million minds—the approximate number of postsecondary students in the United States. It has since expanded its mission to invest in tech entrepreneurs, change-makers, and policy to catalyze scalable innovations in the knowledge economy and accelerate progress toward a more just world.
Learn more at 20mm.org.
As a network of private operating foundations, Michelson Philanthropies creates transformative opportunities, makes impact investments, and fosters strategic partnerships that support vulnerable and underserved communities. Reflecting the passions and interests of Dr. Gary K. Michelson and his wife, Alya Michelson, Michelson Philanthropies catalyzes sustainable, scalable, replicable solutions to a host of challenges facing society.
