Professor Gary Evans PhD, MNZM, FRSNZ, FNZIC is Director of the Ferrier Research Institute at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington and co‑Director of New Zealand’s RNA Development Platform. An internationally recognised scientist and research leader, he has spent his career translating world‑class chemistry into medicines that address serious and unmet health needs.

Trained at the University of Otago, where he completed his PhD in Chemistry, Professor Evans undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford before working in the UK biotechnology sector. He returned to Aotearoa New Zealand in the mid‑1990s and has since held senior research and leadership roles at Industrial Research Ltd, Callaghan Innovation, and Victoria University of Wellington. His research, carried out in close international collaboration—particularly with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York—has focused on the discovery and development of new antiviral drugs and nucleoside‑based medicines.

Professor Evans is one of New Zealand’s most successful researcher‑inventors. He led the discovery of the experimental drug Ulodesine, licensed to Roche in a deal worth over half a billion US dollars, and contributed to the development of Mundesine, now an approved medicine. He has authored more than 100 peer‑reviewed scientific publications and is an inventor on several hundred patents, reflecting his sustained impact at the interface of science, medicine, and commercialisation.

In recognition of his contributions, Professor Evans has received many honours, including the MacDiarmid Medal from the Royal Society Te Apārangi, appointment as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. He also served as Chief Science Advisor to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment from 2018 to 2023, providing science advice across government and contributing to national science and innovation policy at the highest levels.

Today, alongside leading the Ferrier Research Institute, Professor Evans co‑directs the RNA Development Platform, a major government investment aimed at building New Zealand’s capability to develop and manufacture RNA‑based therapeutics. His work sits at the crossroads of scientific discovery, public policy, and real‑world impact—helping ensure that cutting‑edge science delivers tangible benefits for health, industry, and society.