Mario Ramberg Capecchi is an Italian-born American molecular geneticist and a co-awardee of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering a method to create mice in which a specific gene is turned off, known as knockout mice. He shared the prize with Martin Evans and Oliver Smithies. Capecchi is Distinguished Professor of Human Genetics and Biology at the University of Utah School of Medicine. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2007, announced October 8, 2007. Mario R. Capecchi, Sir Martin J. Evans, and Oliver Smithies, “for their discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells”. Mario R. Capecchi: born 1937, Verona, Italy. Sir Martin J. Evans: born 1941, Stroud, United Kingdom. Oliver Smithies: born 1925, Halifax, United Kingdom. Wiki link Wiki link Wiki link Data: the Nobel Foundation (CC0).