Evans, Martin John (1941– )

British geneticist who, with Italian-born US molecular geneticist Mario R Capecchi and British-born US biochemist Oliver Smithies, shared the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2007 for his discovery of embryonic stem cells.

Evans discovered the world's first mouse embryonic stem cell, ESC, in 1981. He also proved that the ESCs were capable of maturing into any type of tissue, an ability known as pluripotency, and created the first live mice from stem cells. His work established the scientific field of stem cell research, which has almost unlimited potential in advancing treatments for currently incurable human diseases and medical conditions.

Evans was born on 1 January 1941, in Rodborough, a parish of Stroud in Gloucestershire, UK. From 1966 until 1978, Evans was a lecturer at the Anatomy and Embryology Department at University College, London, UK. He was awarded his PhD in Anatomy and Embryology by University College, London, in 1969. Evans was Professor of Mammalian Genetics at the Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, UK, from 1978 until 1999. He currently holds the positions of Professor of Mammalian Genetics and the Director of the School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, UK. Evans was elected a fellow of the Royal Society, London, in 1993 and became a Founder Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, UK, in 1998. Evans was awarded a Knighthood on 1 January 2004 for his contributions to medical science.