A. Patapoutian has studied at the American University of Beirut, but after the civil war started in Lebanon, the family moved to the USA (1975), where he graduated from the University of California (1990). He continued his education at the California Institute of Technology and received a doctorate in biological sciences (1996). Honorary member (09.06.2022).

In 2000, A. Patapoutian started working at the Institute of Genomics of the Novartis Research Foundation in San Diego, California, 2002-2005 he was appointed the head of the Neurological department of the same organization, 2006-2014 he held the position of director of the Institute. Since 2005 A. Patapoutian was a lecturer at the Doris Neurology Center.

Member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (since 2016).

Received Young Investigator Award for Contribution to Neurobiology (2006), Alden W. Spencer Award (2017), Rosenstiel Award for Distinguished Work in Basic Medical Research (2019). Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2021).

2014 is a researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Specializes in the discovery of new ion channels and receptors (receptors) activated by sensory transduction (temperature, mechanical force, and increased cell volume).