1 9 7 4 . ▁Prior ▁to ▁ret iring ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁Ri ord an ▁was ▁a ▁professor ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina ▁at ▁Chap el ▁Hill ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Bio chem istry ▁and ▁Bi oph ys ics ▁Department ▁studying ▁the ▁structure ▁and ▁function ▁of ▁CF TR . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁visit ing ▁scient ist ▁at ▁the ▁Academy ▁Sal h gr enska ▁( where ▁he ▁holds ▁an ▁honor ary ▁doctor ate ▁) ▁and ▁University ▁of ▁Goth enburg . ▁▁ ▁He ▁is ▁mostly ▁recognized ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁ever ▁discovery ▁of ▁a ▁mut ated ▁gene , ▁ Δ F 5 0 8 , ▁that ▁can ▁cause ▁c yst ic ▁fib ros is . ▁This ▁research ▁was ▁undert aken ▁alongside ▁fellow ▁bi olog ists , ▁Francis ▁Collins ▁and ▁Lap - Che e ▁Ts ui ▁and ▁since ▁then , ▁other ▁research ▁has ▁found ▁over ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁different ▁mut ations ▁that ▁can ▁cause ▁c yst ic ▁fib ros is . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁he ▁received ▁the ▁G air d ner ▁Foundation ▁International ▁Award , ▁' for ▁contributions ▁to ▁the ▁identification ▁of ▁the ▁gene ▁for ▁c yst ic ▁fib ros is '. ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 4 3 ▁birth s ▁Category : L iving ▁people ▁Category : Can ad ian ▁bio chem ists ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from ▁St . ▁Stephen , ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁Category : Univers ity ▁of ▁Toronto ▁al umn i <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁L