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Robert G. Edwards (1925–2013) the fi Eld of Human Reproductive Biology

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Robert G. Edwards (1925–2013) the fi Eld of Human Reproductive Biology PERSPECTIVES RETROSPECTIVE The work of a pioneer of in vitro fertilization led to the fi rst “test-tube baby” and changed Robert G. Edwards (1925–2013) the fi eld of human reproductive biology. Susan J. Fisher 1 ,2 and Linda C. Giudice 1, 2, 3 obert G. Edwards, who with his col- ular day, Edwards issued eight libel actions in leagues Patrick Steptoe and Jean the High Court of London. “I won them all, R Purdy enabled the birth of the fi rst but the work and worry restricted research for “test tube” baby, died on 10 April at his home several years.” near Cambridge University in England. He After Edwards and Steptoe achieved their was 87. In 2010, he was awarded the Nobel goal in 1978, they were told that government Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the team’s funding for their work would not be forth- work, ushering in the era of in vitro fertiliza- coming. Again, the team entered uncharted tion (IVF), which allows infertile couples to waters, but emerged years later once they have their own biological children. The soci- garnered private support, and founded the etal impact of this revolution in human repro- Bourn Hall Clinic in Cambridge for train- duction has been enormous. An estimated 5 ing gynecologists and biologists from around Downloaded from million babies have been born as the result the world. Where did his colossal motivation of assisted reproductive technologies, a num- come from? One source was Edwards’s pas- ber that will doubtless increase as a result of sion for developmental biology. He was also delayed childbearing. Sadly, due to failing deeply moved by the plight of infertile cou- health and dementia, Edwards was unable to ples who ultimately made IVF possible by attend the Nobel award ceremony, and it is bravely participating in the work before there http://science.sciencemag.org/ unlikely that he even knew of this great recog- was any evidence it would succeed. As he nition. His wife, Ruth Fowler Edwards (they an obstetrician and gynecologist who was and others learned to recapitulate fertilization met as graduate students), and former trainee, an expert in the technique of laparoscopy. and the initial steps of embryo development Martin H. Johnson, addressed the audience on They collaborated for ~20 years, until Step- in vitro using animal models, he became his behalf, a cruel irony given the unbridled toe’s death in 1988. Against seemingly insur- increasingly convinced that these technolo- passion with which he spoke and wrote about mountable odds—little human material avail- gies could be translated to humans. his work on human reproduction. able for research, a modest laboratory, no Despite the importance of studying Robert Geoffrey Edwards was born in government funding, as well as strong dis- human reproductive biology, proven by the 1925 in Yorkshire, England. He attended approval from colleagues and the public— work of Edwards and others, many aspects the University of Wales and then earned a Edwards worked passionately and methodi- of this research remain challenging. In the on January 17, 2018 Ph.D. in physiology from the University of cally over decades to achieve the dream he United States, the Dickey-Wicker Amend- Edinburgh in 1955. He joined the Univer- had as a graduate student. His publications ment, passed every year since 1996, prohib- sity of Cambridge faculty in 1963 where he during the 1960s and 70s lay out the blue- its the use of federal funds for research that remained for the rest of his career. The notion print of his plan for bringing human IVF to creates or destroys human embryos. Accord- that human IVF was possible fi rst occurred fruition. (He also described prenatal genetic ingly, the derivation of human stem cells to Edwards during his graduate work. He diagnosis, stem cells, and cloning.) The ini- from embryos, which was fi rst reported by realized he could do nothing to help infertile tial attempts were frustrating, as egg cells that James Thomson in 1998, was accomplished couples until human oocytes (egg cells) were were matured and fertilized in vitro failed to with nonfederal funds as must be the case fertilized in vitro. In 1965, after two disap- initiate pregnancy when transferred back into for all such stem cell lines derived in the pointing years, he coaxed ovarian tissue that the uterus. Edwards concluded that for IVF United States. had been removed from patients to produce to work, eggs that matured during the natu- Through Edwards’s energy, determina- several oocytes. As he described in a Nature ral menstrual cycle had to be collected from tion, and rigorous study, IVF is now con- Medicine article in 2001, after receiving the patients. This key insight, among others, led sidered common medical practice. Unfor- prestigious Albert Lasker Clinical Medical to the birth of Louise Brown, the fi rst test- tunately, societal and governmental views Research Award, “I waited for 25 hours— tube baby, on 26 July 1978. toward studying human development have and joy unbounding! A beautiful diakinesis, Although Edwards and a lawyer, David not evolved apace. What would Edwards, one superb chromatids…Now a defi nite future Sharpe, outlined in a 1971 Nature article the of the most provocative medical researchers existed for human IVF.” diffi cult social and ethical issues that human and humanists in modern history, think of Retrieving tissue from a woman’s ova- embryo research entailed, major arguments this situation? As he wrote in the 1971 arti- ries required minimal surgery. To this end, in the press and criticism from colleagues cle, “When scientists clearly foresee poten- Edwards partnered with Patrick Steptoe, formed a constant backdrop to his work with tial confl icts with existing rules of society Steptoe. As Edwards wrote in the 2001 arti- arising from their work, paradoxically both 1Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, cle, “Ethicists decried us, forecasting abnor- human progress and scientifi c freedom may 2 Human Embryonic Stem Cell Program, University of Cal- mal babies, misleading the infertile and mis- hang on their activism in arenas generally ifornia San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. 3American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Birmingham, AL 35216. E-mail: representing our work as really acquiring regarded as social or political.” CREDIT: PA WIRE/PRESS ASSOCIATION IMAGES2010 WIRE/PRESS ASSOCIATION PA CREDIT: sfi [email protected]; [email protected] human embryos for research.” On one partic- 10.1126/science.1239644 www.sciencemag.org SCIENCE VOL 340 17 MAY 2013 825 Published by AAAS Robert G. Edwards (1925−2013) Susan J. Fisher and Linda C. Giudice Science 340 (6134), 825. DOI: 10.1126/science.1239644 Downloaded from ARTICLE TOOLS http://science.sciencemag.org/content/340/6134/825 PERMISSIONS http://www.sciencemag.org/help/reprints-and-permissions http://science.sciencemag.org/ on January 17, 2018 Use of this article is subject to the Terms of Service Science (print ISSN 0036-8075; online ISSN 1095-9203) is published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005. 2017 © The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. The title Science is a registered trademark of AAAS..
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