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 (from 1985 to 1997) in Edinburgh.
[citation needed] 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 (ES cells) from mouse embryos.
[2][3] He obtained a PhD in 1984 from the University of Edinburgh presenting the thesis 'Investigations into the genetic, morphogenetic and teratogenic factors that influence early mammalian development'.
He also published about 240 papers on a wide range of embryological and medical historical topics.
[5] He was also Honorary Librarian at the Royal Medical Society in Edinburgh, having been Senior President from 1966 to 1967.