Dr. Roderick MacKinnon is a preeminent scientist whose revolutionary work has transformed our understanding of cellular electrical signaling mechanisms at the molecular level. He currently serves as the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Professor and heads the Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Biophysics at Rockefeller University while maintaining his position as an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Born in Burlington, Massachusetts in 1956, MacKinnon earned his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from Brandeis University in 1978 before completing his medical degree at Tufts University School of Medicine in 1982. Following his medical residency at Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, he made the decisive transition from clinical practice to fundamental research in 1986, commencing postdoctoral work at Brandeis University under his undergraduate mentor Christopher Miller.
MacKinnon's most significant scientific achievement came in 1998 when he successfully determined the three-dimensional molecular structure of a potassium channel from Streptomyces lividans using X-ray crystallography, overcoming longstanding barriers in the structural study of integral membrane proteins. This groundbreaking work, which earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2003 shared with Peter Agre, provided the first atomic-level view of an ion channel and elucidated the precise chemical mechanism for potassium ion selectivity. His research fundamentally explained how these channels enable potassium ions to cross cell membranes while excluding smaller sodium ions, solving a mystery that had perplexed scientists for decades. The implications of his discoveries extend across multiple physiological domains, particularly in understanding nervous system signaling and cardiac function where ion channels play critical roles.
As a continuing leader in structural biology, MacKinnon has expanded his research to investigate various ion channel families including inward rectifier Kir channels and voltage-dependent potassium channels, revealing novel mechanisms of channel activation. His laboratory has recently embraced advanced cryo-electron microscopy techniques to study previously inaccessible channels, providing unprecedented insights into mechanical gating processes essential for sensory detection in touch and hearing. Recognized with numerous prestigious honors including the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award and membership in the National Academy of Sciences, MacKinnon maintains an active research program focused on the physical and chemical principles of biological electricity. His work continues to inspire new generations of scientists while advancing our fundamental understanding of how inorganic ions traverse cell membranes to generate electrical signals essential for life.
