Roderick MacKinnon

Roderick MacKinnon is the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Professor at The Rockefeller University and an HHMI Investigator. His research focuses on ion channels, particularly potassium and chloride channels, exploring their structure, function, and role in biological electricity. He holds a BA from Brandeis University (1978) and an MD from Tufts University (1982), with postdoctoral training at Brandeis and Harvard. MacKinnon has pioneered structural studies of ion channels using X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM, elucidating mechanisms of ion selectivity, gating, and mechanosensitivity. His landmark 2003 Nobel Prize-winning work revealed the structure of the potassium channel, revolutionizing understanding of cellular electrical signaling.

• Affiliations: Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program, David Rockefeller Graduate Program, Kavli Neural Systems Institute (Senior Advisor)
• Research Themes: Ion channel architecture, voltage-dependent gating, mechanosensitive channels like Piezo1, and structural biology of membrane proteins.

His recent work addresses mechanosensitive channels' roles in touch, hearing, and blood pressure regulation, using advanced imaging techniques. Notable awards include the Nobel Prize (2003), Albert Lasker Award (1999), and multiple fellowships in the National Academy of Sciences and Royal Society.

MacKinnon has mentored over 50 researchers, many of whom hold prominent academic and industry roles. His lab combines structural biology, electrophysiology, and biochemistry to tackle fundamental questions in cellular physiology.