Martin Evans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Martin Evans
FRS FMedSci
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Evans in October 2007
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| Born |
Martin John Evans
1 January 1941 Stroud, Gloucestershire, England
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| Education |
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| Known for | Discovering embryonic stem cells, and development of the knockout mouse and gene targeting. |
| Spouse(s) |
Judith Clare Williams MBE
(m. 1966) |
| Children | Two sons and one daughter |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Developmental biology |
| Institutions |
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| Thesis | Studies on the ribonucleic acid of early amphibian embryos |
| Doctoral students | Allan Bradley Elizabeth Robertson |
Sir Martin John Evans (born 1 January 1941) is an English biologist. He is famous for his important discoveries in science.
In 1981, Sir Martin Evans and Matthew Kaufman were the first to grow mouse embryonic stem cells in a lab. These special cells can turn into any type of cell in the body.
He also helped create the knockout mouse. This is a mouse where a specific gene has been turned off or "knocked out." Scientists use these mice to study how genes work and what causes diseases. This method is called gene targeting.
In 2007, Sir Martin Evans, along with Mario Capecchi and Oliver Smithies, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. They received this award for their amazing work with stem cells and knockout mice. Their discoveries help scientists find new ways to treat human illnesses.
Sir Martin Evans became interested in biology and biochemistry while studying at the University of Cambridge. He later moved to the University College London to learn more lab skills. In 1978, he joined the Department of Genetics at the University of Cambridge.
His work with Matthew Kaufman began in 1980. They looked at how to get embryonic stem cells from early mouse embryos. After Kaufman left, Evans continued his research. He improved his lab skills and successfully grew mouse embryonic stem cells. He then changed these cells genetically and put them into female mice. This led to genetically modified offspring. Today, these special mice are very important for medical research. In 2015, he became a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales.
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Early Life and School
Martin Evans was born in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, on 1 January 1941. His mother was a teacher. His father had a workshop and taught him how to use tools and machines. Martin was also close to his grandfather, who was a choir master at a church. His mother's brother was an astronomy professor at the University of Cambridge.
As a boy, Martin was quiet and curious. He loved science, and his parents encouraged him to learn. He enjoyed old science books and received an electric experimental set for Christmas. He also had a chemistry set, which helped him develop a love for chemistry. He went to St Dunstan's College, a school for boys in London. There, he studied chemistry, physics, and biology. He worked hard to prepare for the University of Cambridge entrance exams.
University Studies
Evans won a scholarship to Christ's College, Cambridge. This was a time when many new discoveries were happening in genetics. He first studied zoology, botany, and chemistry. He soon focused on biochemistry and plant physiology. He attended lectures by famous scientists like Sydney Brenner and Jacques Monod.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1963. He then decided he wanted to study how genes control the development of animals. He moved to University College London. There, he worked as a research assistant and learned many important lab skills. He earned his PhD in 1969.
Career and Research
After getting his PhD, Martin Evans became a lecturer at University College London. He taught students and did research in the Anatomy and Embryology department. In 1978, he moved to the Department of Genetics at the University of Cambridge. His important work with Matthew Kaufman started there in 1980. They developed the idea of using early embryos to get embryonic stem cells.
After Kaufman left, Evans continued his research. He explored many interesting areas of biology and medicine. In 1985, he visited the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He spent a month there learning the newest lab techniques.
In the 1990s, he was a fellow at St Edmund's College, Cambridge. In 1999, he became a professor at Cardiff University. He also became the Director of the School of Biosciences there. He worked at Cardiff University until he retired at the end of 2007.
Awards and Recognition
In 2004, he was made a Knight Bachelor by Prince Charles. This was to honor his work in stem cell research. In 2007, he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He shared it with Mario Capecchi and Oliver Smithies. Their discovery helped scientists introduce specific gene changes in mice using embryonic stem cells.
In 2009, Sir Martin Evans became the president of Cardiff University. He later became the Chancellor of Cardiff University in 2012. He is also an Honorary Fellow of St Edmund's College, Cambridge.
Stem Cell Discoveries
Sir Martin Evans and Matthew Kaufman successfully took embryonic stem cells from early mouse embryos. They then grew these cells in lab dishes. These early embryonic cells are special because they can develop into any type of cell in an adult body. They changed these stem cells genetically. Then, they placed them into female mice. This led to the birth of genetically modified offspring.
In 1981, Evans and Kaufman published their findings. They described how they isolated embryonic stem cells from mouse embryos and grew them in lab cultures. Another scientist, Gail R. Martin, also achieved this independently in the same year.
Evans was able to isolate and grow the embryonic stem cells of early mouse embryos. He then genetically changed these cells. He put them into adult female mice to create genetically modified offspring. These mice are now very important for medical research. Having these cultured stem cells made it possible to make specific gene changes in mice. This allowed scientists to create transgenic mice. These mice are used as models to study human illnesses.
Evans and his team showed they could put a new gene into cultured embryonic stem cells. They then used these changed cells to make chimeric embryos. In some of these embryos, the genetically changed stem cells produced reproductive cells. This meant the changes could be passed on to future generations of mice. This is how transgenic mice with specific gene changes were created. Scientists hoped to make even more specific changes to genes using a method called homologous recombination. This method was later achieved by Oliver Smithies and Mario Capecchi.
Personal Life
Sir Martin Evans met his wife, Judith Clare Williams, while he was a student in Cambridge. They married in 1966. In 1978, they moved from London to Cambridge with their young children. They lived there for over 20 years before moving to Cardiff. They have one daughter and two sons.
His wife, Judith Clare Williams, was awarded the MBE in 1993. This was for her services to nursing. She was diagnosed with breast cancer around the time the family moved to Cardiff. She now works for breast cancer charities. Martin Evans has also become a trustee for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
Awards and Honors
Sir Martin Evans has received many awards for his scientific work:
- 1990 - Elected an EMBO Member
- 1993 - Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)
- 1998 - Founder Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
- 1999 - Received the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology
- 2001 - Received the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research
- 2002 - Honorary doctorate from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, USA
- 2004 - Appointed Knight Bachelor for services to medical science
- 2005 - Honorary doctorate from the University of Bath, England
- 2007 - Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- 2008 - Honorary doctorate from University College London, England
- 2009 - Gold Medal of the Royal Society of Medicine
- 2009 - Copley Medal of the Royal Society
- 2009 - Member of the Advisory Board of the Faraday Institute
- 2009 - UCL Prize Lecture in Clinical Science
- 2015 - Elected a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales
See also
In Spanish: Martin Evans para niños
