Sammy Lee (scientist)
Encyclopedia
Sammy Lee is an expert on fertility
and in vitro fertilisation
He has been a hospital scientific consultant and was the chief scientist at the Wellington IVF programme. His book Counselling in Male Infertility was published in 1996 and he has contributed to major newspaper articles, and has appeared on several current affairs television programmes. He was the "inspiration" for Anthony Ling, the character in the novel One Life by Rebecca Frayn (Simon & Schuster 2006, ISBN 0-7432-6876-8), after the author herself sought Lee's help for IVF treatment
biology and regenerative medicine
. He is collaborating with various groups in the Anatomy Department at University College London
examining the potential of bone marrow
derived mesenchymal stem cell
s to give rise to neuronal/glial lineages in response to various growth factors and tissue culture
manipulations. He also teaches ethics in reproduction at University College London
.
In addition, he is interested in tissue engineering and teaching ethics in reproduction. He is attached to the Jessen-Mirsky laboratory and is studying remyelination. Lee has ethical committee approval in Brasil for creating artificial gametes from umbilical cord blood derived stem cells. It is hoped these will be used to overcome infertility.
Lee first published research in Neuroscience
during the 1980s (from the Biophysics
department at UCL), having worked on nerve muscle interaction ranging from examining TTX-resistant action potentials in denervated muscle to studying cholinesterase activity in dissociated adult muscle fibres following up on the work first done in the same department by Bill Betz and Bert Sakmann
. Lee changed his focus to embryos, when he realised that many of the questions framed by his Neuroscience
research were rooted in the matter of differentiation. The ultimate undifferentiated cell is the fertilised egg. This led Lee to work on gap junction
s in early mammalian embryos (in the Anatomy & Embryology department at UCL), where work with Anne Warner
FRS and Anne McLaren
DBE FRS produced new information on factors affecting communication between cells and their developmental potential.
Lee became a clinical embryologist in 1985, when working with the gynaecologist Ian Craft he directed the IVF laboratory at the Wellington Hospital
in London
, then one of the largest units in the world. Consultancy work with the UK division of Ares Serono (1986–1994) also involved work with the Bourn Hallam Group, which Patrick Steptoe
and Bob Edwards
had set up after Louise Brown
's birth. From 1995 to 2002 he was based at the Portland Hospital
for Women & Children.
Lee is now based again at UCL
. He is interested in tissue engineering
and teaching ethics
in reproduction. He is now working on tissue engineering and stem cells mainly concerned with background research
on Stem cells and Progenitor cells. Dr. Lee also has a keen interest in ethics and expresses this at UCL by running a course titled "Ethics of Fertility and Embryo Research". His students remark him to be knowledgeable in the field of ethics and enthusiastic, they have particularly noted that he is clearly a fan of Kant.
He has previously served as an international
editor
of the Brazilian Journal of Assisted Reproduction. He has served as a Trustee and director of several charities. His curriculum vitae lists numerous scientific publications. He was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Health (now Royal Society for PublicHealth) and the Royal Society of Medicine
, both in 1987.
Lee's team at the Wellington pioneered the first UK practise of gamete Intra-fallopian Transfer (GIFT
), The GIFT of Life (a technique invented by Ricardo Asch
in the USA). The team was the second to carry out GIFT and then proceeded to post the largest series in the world in 1986.
Lee also helped perform some of the first egg
donations in the UK, when directing the Wellington Hospital
IVF Laboratory.
Lee pioneered a simple inexpensive efficient form of Mechanical Assisted Hatching in the UK. He produced the world's first intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI
with NASBA virus
assay
) virus free baby to an HIV
discordant couple.
Lee has many media
appearances having been on many TV shows as well as writing a number of newspapers articles . He has written several books of his own: such as Counselling in Male Infertility, and has also been a contributor/consultant
in such books: The Miraculous World of The Unborn Baby (Quadrillion, Godalming, Surrey 1998) ISBN 1-85833-966-9, Natural Fertility (Hamlyn 2002) ISBN 0-600-60396-2 and Inconceivable Conceptions.
Lee is no stranger to controversy
. In addition to his work in IVF, he has had differences of opinion with the HFEA, most notably over the issue of human cloning
. He states that if it may be done safely and effectively, it may be morally justifiable.
Lee also wrote an article in the Sunday Times (10 November 2002) in the aftermath of a number of high profile embryo transfer mixups in several human IVF clinics.
Professor Sammy Lee arranged a conference co-sponsored by the Progress Educational Trust entitled '21st Century Motherhood' at the University College London (UCL) (18 September 2009).
Speakers included Peter Brinsden
, Consultant Medical Director at Bourn Hall Clinic, Professor Lord Robert Winston
and Professor Shere Hite
.
and received a BSc
in Physiology
in 1979 from King’s College London. He received a PhD in Biophysics from University College London
under the supervision of Prof. Ricardo Miledi
, in a group associated with Sir Bernard Katz
. He later received a Diploma
in Counselling from London Hospital Medical College in 1991, and in 2004 a PGCE
at the University of Greenwich
.
Lee has held the following appointments:
Fertility
Fertility is the natural capability of producing offsprings. As a measure, "fertility rate" is the number of children born per couple, person or population. Fertility differs from fecundity, which is defined as the potential for reproduction...
and in vitro fertilisation
In vitro fertilisation
In vitro fertilisation is a process by which egg cells are fertilised by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF is a major treatment in infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed...
He has been a hospital scientific consultant and was the chief scientist at the Wellington IVF programme. His book Counselling in Male Infertility was published in 1996 and he has contributed to major newspaper articles, and has appeared on several current affairs television programmes. He was the "inspiration" for Anthony Ling, the character in the novel One Life by Rebecca Frayn (Simon & Schuster 2006, ISBN 0-7432-6876-8), after the author herself sought Lee's help for IVF treatment
Current Research
Lee’s current interests lie in the field of stem cellStem 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...
biology and regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine is the "process of replacing or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore orestablish normal function". This field holds the promise of regenerating damaged tissues and organs in the body by replacing damaged tissue and/or by stimulating the body's own repair...
. He is collaborating with various groups in the Anatomy Department at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
examining the potential of bone marrow
Bone marrow
Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg , bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg...
derived mesenchymal stem cell
Mesenchymal stem cell
Mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, are multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types, including: osteoblasts , chondrocytes and adipocytes...
s to give rise to neuronal/glial lineages in response to various growth factors and tissue culture
Tissue culture
Tissue culture is the growth of tissues or cells separate from the organism. This is typically facilitated via use of a liquid, semi-solid, or solid growth medium, such as broth or agar...
manipulations. He also teaches ethics in reproduction at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
In addition, he is interested in tissue engineering and teaching ethics in reproduction. He is attached to the Jessen-Mirsky laboratory and is studying remyelination. Lee has ethical committee approval in Brasil for creating artificial gametes from umbilical cord blood derived stem cells. It is hoped these will be used to overcome infertility.
Biography
Lee originally researched his PhD at UCL under the supervision of Professor Ricardo Miledo FRS in the school of Sir Bernard Katz. Lee is also a signatory to a memento presented to Sir Bernard Katz on his 80th birthday from bona fide members of the school-occasion when the phrase "School of Katz" was coined.Lee first published research in Neuroscience
Neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Traditionally, neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology. However, it is currently an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,...
during the 1980s (from the Biophysics
Biophysics
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...
department at UCL), having worked on nerve muscle interaction ranging from examining TTX-resistant action potentials in denervated muscle to studying cholinesterase activity in dissociated adult muscle fibres following up on the work first done in the same department by Bill Betz and Bert Sakmann
Bert Sakmann
-External links:*...
. Lee changed his focus to embryos, when he realised that many of the questions framed by his Neuroscience
Neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Traditionally, neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology. However, it is currently an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,...
research were rooted in the matter of differentiation. The ultimate undifferentiated cell is the fertilised egg. This led Lee to work on gap junction
Gap junction
A gap junction or nexus is a specialized intercellular connection between a multitude of animal cell-types. It directly connects the cytoplasm of two cells, which allows various molecules and ions to pass freely between cells....
s in early mammalian embryos (in the Anatomy & Embryology department at UCL), where work with Anne Warner
Anne Warner (scientist)
Anne Warner FRS, is a British biologist and a professor in the Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology at University College London. Her major field of research is morphogenesis.-External links:*...
FRS and Anne McLaren
Anne McLaren
The Hon. Dame Anne Laura Dorinthea McLaren, DBE, FRS, FRCOG was the daughter of Henry McLaren, 2nd Baron Aberconway and Christabel McNaughten. She became a leading figure in developmental biology. Her work helped lead to human in vitro fertilisation...
DBE FRS produced new information on factors affecting communication between cells and their developmental potential.
Lee became a clinical embryologist in 1985, when working with the gynaecologist Ian Craft he directed the IVF laboratory at the Wellington Hospital
Wellington Hospital, United Kingdom
The Wellington Hospital in London is the largest independent hospital in the United Kingdom, located in St John's Wood, North London.It has an international reputation for outstanding care in areas of medicine including cardiac services, neurosurgery, liver and HPB medicine, rehabilitation,...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, then one of the largest units in the world. Consultancy work with the UK division of Ares Serono (1986–1994) also involved work with the Bourn Hallam Group, which 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...
and Bob Edwards
Bob Edwards
Robert Alan Edwards is a Peabody Award-winning member of the National Radio Hall of Fame. He was the first broadcaster with a large national following to join the field of satellite radio...
had set up after Louise Brown
Louise Brown
Louise Joy Brown is the first person to be conceived by in vitro fertilization, or IVF.-Birth:...
's birth. From 1995 to 2002 he was based at the Portland Hospital
Portland Hospital
The Portland Hospital for Women and Children, usually referred to simply as the Portland Hospital, is a hospital in Great Portland Street, London...
for Women & Children.
Lee is now based again at UCL
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
. He is interested in tissue engineering
Tissue engineering
Tissue engineering is the use of a combination of cells, engineering and materials methods, and suitable biochemical and physio-chemical factors to improve or replace biological functions...
and teaching ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
in reproduction. He is now working on tissue engineering and stem cells mainly concerned with background research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
on Stem cells and Progenitor cells. Dr. Lee also has a keen interest in ethics and expresses this at UCL by running a course titled "Ethics of Fertility and Embryo Research". His students remark him to be knowledgeable in the field of ethics and enthusiastic, they have particularly noted that he is clearly a fan of Kant.
He has previously served as an international
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
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 the Brazilian Journal of Assisted Reproduction. He has served as a Trustee and director of several charities. His curriculum vitae lists numerous scientific publications. He was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Health (now Royal Society for PublicHealth) and the Royal Society of Medicine
Royal Society of Medicine
The Royal Society of Medicine is a British charitable organisation whose main purpose is as a provider of medical education, running over 350 meetings and conferences each year.- History and overview :...
, both in 1987.
Lee's team at the Wellington pioneered the first UK practise of gamete Intra-fallopian Transfer (GIFT
Gamete intrafallopian transfer
Gamete intrafallopian transfer is a tool of assisted reproductive technology against infertility. Eggs are removed from a woman's ovaries, and placed in one of the Fallopian tubes, along with the man's sperm...
), The GIFT of Life (a technique invented by Ricardo Asch
Ricardo Asch
Ricardo Hector Asch is an obstetrician, gynecologist, and endocrinologist who was notable for his work in reproductive technology, in particular gamete intrafallopian transfer...
in the USA). The team was the second to carry out GIFT and then proceeded to post the largest series in the world in 1986.
Lee also helped perform some of the first egg
Ovum
An ovum is a haploid female reproductive cell or gamete. Both animals and embryophytes have ova. The term ovule is used for the young ovum of an animal, as well as the plant structure that carries the female gametophyte and egg cell and develops into a seed after fertilization...
donations in the UK, when directing the Wellington Hospital
Wellington Hospital, United Kingdom
The Wellington Hospital in London is the largest independent hospital in the United Kingdom, located in St John's Wood, North London.It has an international reputation for outstanding care in areas of medicine including cardiac services, neurosurgery, liver and HPB medicine, rehabilitation,...
IVF Laboratory.
Lee pioneered a simple inexpensive efficient form of Mechanical Assisted Hatching in the UK. He produced the world's first intra-cytoplasmic 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:...
with NASBA virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
assay
Assay
An assay is a procedure in molecular biology for testing or measuring the activity of a drug or biochemical in an organism or organic sample. A quantitative assay may also measure the amount of a substance in a sample. Bioassays and immunoassays are among the many varieties of specialized...
) virus free baby to an HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
discordant couple.
Lee has many media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
appearances having been on many TV shows as well as writing a number of newspapers articles . He has written several books of his own: such as Counselling in Male Infertility, and has also been a contributor/consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
in such books: The Miraculous World of The Unborn Baby (Quadrillion, Godalming, Surrey 1998) ISBN 1-85833-966-9, Natural Fertility (Hamlyn 2002) ISBN 0-600-60396-2 and Inconceivable Conceptions.
Lee is no stranger to controversy
Controversy
Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of opinion. The word was coined from the Latin controversia, as a composite of controversus – "turned in an opposite direction," from contra – "against" – and vertere – to turn, or versus , hence, "to turn...
. In addition to his work in IVF, he has had differences of opinion with the HFEA, most notably over the issue of human cloning
Human cloning
Human cloning is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human. It does not usually refer to monozygotic multiple births nor the reproduction of human cells or tissue. The ethics of cloning is an extremely controversial issue...
. He states that if it may be done safely and effectively, it may be morally justifiable.
Lee also wrote an article in the Sunday Times (10 November 2002) in the aftermath of a number of high profile embryo transfer mixups in several human IVF clinics.
Professor Sammy Lee arranged a conference co-sponsored by the Progress Educational Trust entitled '21st Century Motherhood' at the University College London (UCL) (18 September 2009).
Speakers included Peter Brinsden
Peter Brinsden
Dr. Peter Robert Brinsden MBBS, MRCS, LRCP, FRCOG is known for the treatment of infertility in couples. From 1989 to 2006 he was the Medical Director of Bourn Hall Clinic in the UK, a leading centre for the treatment of fertility problems, and where about 6,000 babies have been conceived using IVF...
, Consultant Medical Director at Bourn Hall Clinic, Professor Lord Robert Winston
Robert Winston
Robert Maurice Lipson Winston, Baron Winston is a British professor, medical doctor, scientist, television presenter and politician.-Early life and education :...
and Professor Shere Hite
Shere Hite
Shere Hite is an American-born German sex educator and feminist. Her sexological work has focused primarily on female sexuality. Hite builds upon biological studies of sex by Masters and Johnson and by Alfred Kinsey...
.
Education and experience
Lee was educated at Mill Hill SchoolMill Hill School
Mill Hill School, in Mill Hill, London, is a coeducational independent school for boarding and day pupils aged 13–18. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, an organisation of public schools in the United Kingdom....
and received a BSc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
in Physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
in 1979 from King’s College London. He received a PhD in Biophysics from University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
under the supervision of Prof. Ricardo Miledi
Ricardo Miledi
Ricardo Miledi is a Mexican neuroscientist who won the Royal Medal in 1998.In 1999 was awarded with the . In 2010 won the outstanding contributions to the field.He is a professor at the University of California, Irvine....
, in a group associated with Sir Bernard Katz
Bernard Katz
Sir Bernard Katz, FRS was a German-born biophysicist, noted for his work on nerve biochemistry. He shared the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1970 with Julius Axelrod and Ulf von Euler...
. He later received a Diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
in Counselling from London Hospital Medical College in 1991, and in 2004 a PGCE
PGCE
PGCE can stand for:* Postgraduate Certificate in Education, an English, Welsh and Northern Irish teacher-training qualification that includes master's credits...
at the University of Greenwich
University of Greenwich
The University of Greenwich is a British university located in the London Borough of Greenwich, London, England. The main campus is located on the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College, a central location within the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site.-History:The history of the...
.
Lee has held the following appointments:
- Research Associate in Biophysics (1982–1984), and Anatomy & Embryology (1984–1985) University College LondonUniversity College LondonUniversity College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
- Laboratory Director, IVF unit at the Humana Hospital Wellington in London (1985–1986)
- Consultant Clinical Embryologist, UK division of Ares SeronoSeronoSerono is a biotechnology company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The company was founded as the Serono Pharmacolodgical Institute by Cesare Serono in 1906 in Italy. A key step in its development was the discovery of a method of extracting urinary gonadotropins by Dr Piero Donini allowing...
(human recombinantRecombinant DNARecombinant DNA molecules are DNA sequences that result from the use of laboratory methods to bring together genetic material from multiple sources, creating sequences that would not otherwise be found in biological organisms...
pharmaceutical company) - Scientific Director of the ColchesterColchesterColchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
Fertility Service (1992 to 2001) - Consultant Scientist and Director of intracytoplasmic sperm injectionIntracytoplasmic sperm injectionIntracytoplasmic sperm injection is an in vitro fertilization procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg.-Indications:...
(ICSI) at the Portland Hospital for Women & Children (1995–2003) - Acting Scientific Director for the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital (1999–2000).
- Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Reproductive Medicine at the Homerton Hospital (2000–2005)
- Honorary Lecturer in the Anatomy & Developmental Biology Dept., University College London (2003–present).
- Visiting Professor in Biomedical Science at the ABC Medical School in São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brasil (2006–present).
Further reading
- http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0702/07021906
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article721865.ece Rebecca Frayn says Lee "created" Emmy, her daughter.
- http://www.rte.ie/news/2001/0816/primetime_av.html Lee debates cloning on RTÉ Primetime.
- Serono fertility award granted to Sammy Lee 1991
Newspaper articles
- S. Lee. The baby factories. Sunday TelegraphSunday TelegraphThe Sunday Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961. It is the sister paper of The Daily Telegraph, but is run separately with a different editorial staff, although there is some cross-usage of stories...
. 10 November 2002. - S. Lee. The great IVF scandal. Daily MailDaily MailThe Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
. 29 November 2002.
External links
- Official web page at UCL
- Mistakes in IVF
- CEO of infertility website
- Youtube collection of Lee in the media