Dr. Daan Thorn Leeson is the Senior Director for Innovation and Formulation at Rodan + Fields. In this role, he oversees the formulation of all new Rodan + Field products, including the development of ingredient technology, and is ultimately responsible for the efficacy and performance of all Rodan + Field products.
Dr. Thorn Leeson has worked in Skincare Research & Development for well over 20 years, having been at the forefront of many innovative product technologies resulting in more than 20 patents and patent publications. During this time, he has focused on methods of measuring and improving the skin’s barrier function, the discovery and development of novel botanical actives, the application of retinoids in facial anti-aging, and the application of bio-engineered ingredients in topical skincare formulations.
In the early days of his career, prior to entering the skincare field, Dr. Thorn Leeson was a highly respected scientist in the field of protein biophysics. After receiving his PhD in chemistry at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, he was awarded a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Dr. Thorn Leeson’s work in protein folding and dynamics has been published in prestigious journals such as Nature Structural Biology and The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Select Publications
In vivo confocal fluorescence imaging of skin surface cellular morphology: A pilot study of its potential as a clinical tool in skin research
D. Thorn Leeson, C.L. Meyers and K. Subramanyan Int. J. Cosmet. Sci. 28 (2006) 9-20
The energy landscape in non-biological and biological molecules
H. Frauenfelder and D.Thorn Leeson Nature struct. Biol. 5 (1998) 757-759
Protein folding and unfolding on a complex energy landscape
D. Thorn Leeson. F. Gai, H.M. Rodriguez, L.M.
Gregoret and R.B. Dyer Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97 (2000) 2527-2532
Looking into the energy landscape of myoglobin
D. Thorn Leeson and D.A. Wiersma Nature struct. Biol. 2 (1995) 848-851
Real time observation of low-temperature protein motions
D. Thorn Leeson and D.A. Wiersma Phys. Rev. Lett. 74 (1995) 2138-2141
Select Patents
Collagen and elastin stimulating compositions and uses thereof
D. Thorn Leeson, U. Santhanam, J.W. Lyga, S.W. Chen, R.J. Wyborski
US Patent No. US 10,195,136 B2, February 5, 2019
Methods for treating skin
U. Santhanam, J. Idkowiak-Baldys, D. Thorn Leeson, A.D. Gonzalez, G.T. Anderson
US Patent No. US 9,956,151 B2, May 1, 2018
Maesa japonica extracts and methods of use
S.W. Chen, Q. Zheng, J.W. Lyga, U. Santhanam, R.J. Wyborski, D. Thorn Leeson, P. R. Khusial
US Patent No. US 8,709,507 B2, Apr. 29, 2014
Method for imaging skin surface intercellular and intracellular structure using a compound to enhance contrast
D. Thorn Leeson, K.K. Subramanyan and K.P. Ananthapadmanabhan
US Patent No. US 6,544,183 B2, Apr. 8, 2003
