Hans Clevers

Who is Hans Clevers?

Johannes Carolus Clevers is a professor in molecular genetics, a geneticist, physician, medical researcher who was the first to identify stem cells in the intestine and is one of the world's leading researchers on normal stem cells and their potential for regenerative therapy. Clevers obtained his Ph.D. in 1985 at Utrecht University and was a professor in immunology there between 1991 and 2002. He received the Spinoza Prize in 2001 and became director of the Hubrecht Institute in 2002. In March 2012, he was elected as is the president of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and succeeded Robbert Dijkgraaf in June 2012. In 2013 he was awarded the $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for his work. In a subsequent interview, he said it was a 'great honour' to be the only researcher in Europe awarded.