Matthew Kaufman

Who was Matthew Kaufman?

Matthew H. Kaufman was Professor Emeritus at University of Edinburgh having been Professor of Anatomy there from 1985–2007. He taught anatomy and embryology for more than 30 years, initially at the University of Cambridge, when he was a Fellow of King’s College, and more recently in Edinburgh.

During his early years at the University of Edinburgh, he re-instituted a course for an intercalated degree in anatomy, absent for many years in this subject. With this he brought a new life of exploration and research within the department of anatomy.

In 1981 Kaufman and Martin Evans at the University of Cambridge in England and Gail R. Martin in America were the first to derive embryonic stem cells from mouse embryos. He published four books on mouse embryology and three books on historical aspects of military surgery. He also published a book on Medical Teaching in Edinburgh during the 18th and 19th centuries, a book on the History of the Edinburgh Phrenological Society and biographies of Dr. John Barclay and Mr. Robert Liston. He also published about 240 papers on a wide range of embryological and medical historical topics. He was awarded the F.R.S. Edin. in 2008.