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Robert Edwards (physiologist)
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Geoffrey Edwards, CBE
, FRS (born 27 September 1925) is a British physiologist and pioneer in Reproductive medicine
and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in particular. Along with surgeon Patrick Steptoe
, Edwards successfully pioneered conception through IVF, which led to the birth
of the first test-tube baby, Louise Brown, on 1978. He was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
"for the development of in vitro fertilization".
on Whitworth Street in central Manchester, he served in the British Army
, and then completed his undergraduate studies in agriculture at the University of Wales, Bangor. Subsequently he studied at the Institute of Animal Genetics, University of Edinburgh
. In 1955 he received his Ph.D. and in 1963 he joined the University of Cambridge
, where he has been a fellow at Churchill College.
, a gynecologic surgeon from Oldham
. Edwards developed human culture media to allow the fertilization and early embryo
culture, while Steptoe utilized laparoscopy
to recover ovocytes from patients with tubal infertility
. Their attempts met significant hostility and opposition, including a refusal of the British government to fund their research and a number of lawsuits. Additional historical information on this controversial era in the development of IVF has been published.
The birth of Louise Brown
, the world's first 'test-tube baby', at on 1978 at the Oldham General Hospital made medical history: in vitro fertilization meant a new way to help infertile couples who formerly had no possibility of having a baby.
Refinements in technology have increased pregnancy rates and it is estimated that in 2010 about children have been born by IVF, with approximately 170,000 coming from donated oocyte
and embryos. Their breakthrough laid the groundwork for further innovations such as intracytoplasmatic sperm injection ICSI
, embryo biopsy (PGD
), and stem cell
research.
Edwards and Steptoe founded the Bourn Hall Clinic
as a place to advance their work and train new specialists. Steptoe died in 1988. Edwards continued a career as a scientist and an editor
of medical journals.
and daughter of physicist Ralph Fowler.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FRS (born 27 September 1925) is a British physiologist and pioneer in Reproductive medicine
Reproductive medicine
Reproductive medicine is a branch of medicine that deals with prevention, diagnosis and management of reproductive problems; goals include improving or maintaining reproductive health and allowing people to have children at a time of their choosing...
and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in particular. Along with surgeon Patrick Steptoe
Patrick Steptoe
Patrick Christopher Steptoe FRS was a British obstetrician and gynaecologist and a pioneer of fertility treatment. Steptoe was responsible with biologist and physiologist Robert Edwards for developing in vitro fertilization...
, Edwards successfully pioneered conception through IVF, which led to the birth
Childbirth
Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus...
of the first test-tube baby, Louise Brown, on 1978. He was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation, is awarded once a year for outstanding discoveries in the field of life science and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his will...
"for the development of in vitro fertilization".
Early career
Edwards was born in Manchester. After finishing Manchester Central High SchoolManchester Academy (Moss Side)
Manchester Academy is a non-selective co-educational secondary school within the English Academy programme, in Moss Side, Manchester.-Admissions:It is run by the United Learning Trust, a subsidiary of the United Church Schools Trust...
on Whitworth Street in central Manchester, he served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and then completed his undergraduate studies in agriculture at the University of Wales, Bangor. Subsequently he studied at the Institute of Animal Genetics, University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. In 1955 he received his Ph.D. and in 1963 he joined the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, where he has been a fellow at Churchill College.
Human fertilisation
In about 1960 Edwards started to study human fertilization, and he continued his work at Cambridge, laying the groundwork for his later success. In 1968 he was able to achieve fertilization of a human egg in the laboratory and started to collaborate with Patrick SteptoePatrick Steptoe
Patrick Christopher Steptoe FRS was a British obstetrician and gynaecologist and a pioneer of fertility treatment. Steptoe was responsible with biologist and physiologist Robert Edwards for developing in vitro fertilization...
, a gynecologic surgeon from Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
. Edwards developed human culture media to allow the fertilization and early embryo
Embryo
An embryo is a multicellular diploid eukaryote in its earliest stage of development, from the time of first cell division until birth, hatching, or germination...
culture, while Steptoe utilized laparoscopy
Laparoscopy
Laparoscopy is an operation performed in the abdomen or pelvis through small incisions with the aid of a camera...
to recover ovocytes from patients with tubal infertility
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
. Their attempts met significant hostility and opposition, including a refusal of the British government to fund their research and a number of lawsuits. Additional historical information on this controversial era in the development of IVF has been published.
The birth of Louise Brown
Louise Brown
Louise Joy Brown is the first person to be conceived by in vitro fertilization, or IVF.-Birth:...
, the world's first 'test-tube baby', at on 1978 at the Oldham General Hospital made medical history: in vitro fertilization meant a new way to help infertile couples who formerly had no possibility of having a baby.
Oocyte
An oocyte, ovocyte, or rarely ocyte, is a female gametocyte or germ cell involved in reproduction. In other words, it is an immature ovum, or egg cell. An oocyte is produced in the ovary during female gametogenesis. The female germ cells produce a primordial germ cell which undergoes a mitotic...
and embryos. Their breakthrough laid the groundwork for further innovations such as intracytoplasmatic sperm injection ICSI
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is an in vitro fertilization procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg.-Indications:...
, embryo biopsy (PGD
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis
In medicine and genetics pre-implantation genetic diagnosis refers to procedures that are performed on embryos prior to implantation, sometimes even on oocytes prior to fertilization. PGD is considered another way to prenatal diagnosis...
), and stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
research.
Edwards and Steptoe founded the Bourn Hall Clinic
Bourn Hall Clinic
Bourn Hall Clinic in Bourn, Cambridgeshire, England, is one of the world's leading centres for the treatment of infertility. The original building, Bourn Hall, is about 400 years old...
as a place to advance their work and train new specialists. Steptoe died in 1988. Edwards continued a career as a scientist and an editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of medical journals.
Honours
- In 1984, Edwards was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society.
- In 1994, Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Valencia (SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
). - In 2001, he was awarded the Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award by the Lasker Foundation "for the development of in vitro fertilization, a technological advance that has revolutionized the treatment of human infertility."
- In 2007, he was ranked 26th in The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
s list of 100 greatest living geniuses. - In 2007, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of HuddersfieldUniversity of HuddersfieldThe University of Huddersfield is a university located in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.- History :The University traces its roots back to a Science and Mechanic Institute founded in 1825...
. - On 4 October 2010, it was announced that Edwards had been awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineNobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineThe Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation, is awarded once a year for outstanding discoveries in the field of life science and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his will...
for the development of in-vitro fertilization. The Nobel Committee praised him for advancing treatment of infertility and noted that IVF babies have similar health statuses to ordinary babies. Göran K. HanssonGöran K. HanssonGöran K. Hansson, born 1951, is a Swedish physician and medical researcher.Hansson was awarded his doctorate in 1980 at the University of Gothenburg. He has been a research scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle, professor of cell biology at the University of Gothenburg, and visiting...
, secretary of the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, announced the news. The first child of IVF Louise BrownLouise BrownLouise Joy Brown is the first person to be conceived by in vitro fertilization, or IVF.-Birth:...
described the award as "fantastic news". A VaticanVatican CityVatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
official condemned the move as "completely out of order". - Edwards was knightedKnight BachelorThe rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in the 2011 Birthday Honours2011 Birthday HonoursThe Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2011 in New Zealand and 11 June 2011 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2011.-Privy Councillors:...
for services to human reproductive biology.
Family
His wife is Ruth Fowler Edwards, the granddaughter of physicist Ernest RutherfordErnest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson OM, FRS was a New Zealand-born British chemist and physicist who became known as the father of nuclear physics...
and daughter of physicist Ralph Fowler.