Spotlight

Genesis Research Trust The challenges of maternal health

Genesis Research Trust’s leading fertility expert, Professor Robert Winston, recently met with us at Research Features to discuss the history and heritage of his institution, before highlighting the current challenges facing maternal health – in more ways than one.

rofessor Robert Winston is a which was founded after the Second World in (IVF) were also made well-known figure in the world of War. It’s always been a major hub for on this site at Hospital, which science communication, having research and is probably the leader across is now a part of Imperial College. featured in numerous science Europe for the work it does in all aspects of documentaries and TV shows women’s health. This involves pregnancy, For Genesis Research Trust especially, we’re over the years. These have included his fertility, delivery, early growth of babies and really interested in trying to promote women Pgroundbreaking documentary Child of our cancers which only affect women. in science. One of the big issues for us is to Time, which looked at how child growth is make sure that women get a fair deal and affected by the interaction between genes One of the earliest workers here that I if you look around our department, you’ll and the environment, and his multiple can recall was Ian Donald – the man who probably see that there are more women BAFTA award-winning series The Human invented ultrasound. This provided one of than men working here. Body. the cheapest ways of looking at tissues, which was truly a massive breakthrough What do you think the challenges are that Away from the camera though, Professor and one of the firsts that this place was women might face if they try to pursue a Winston is the leading fertility expert at responsible for. career in science and how do you at Genesis Genesis Research Trust – a charitable Research Trust protect against this? research institution within Imperial College Another person who immediately comes I think the challenges for women scientists . This institution funds the largest to mind is Erica Wachtel who was a refugee are invariably when to consider having a collection of UK-based scientists and from Nazi Austria and was a key person family. In my view, doctors are very ready to clinicians dedicated to researching the in getting the cervical cancer smear test pontificate about how we should try to get causes and cures for reproductive conditions running. These two remarkable inventions pregnant earlier or how we should manage that affect women, their families and their have shaped our history and heritage here. our career, but to my mind that doesn’t make babies. sense. Antenatal care has also been very much Professor Winston recently sat down with developed here by McClure Brown. I We established many, many years ago a us at Research Features to discuss the suppose more recently though we’ve been ‘women for women’ programme where institution’s background and heritage interested in miscarriage, stillbirth, ovarian women raised money to help female in more detail, before highlighting the cancer and we’ve also made breakthroughs scientists have a family and continue working importance of its research in the modern- in uterine cancer. Many of the improvements as scientists concurrently – by offering them age.

Hello Robert! Could you tell us some more about Genesis Research Trust and, in Genesis Research Trust has always been a particular, the research it has been involved in over the years? major hub for research and is probably the The Genesis Research Trust has really leader across Europe for the work it does in all evolved from what used to be called The Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology aspects of women’s health

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the opportunity for part-time or flexi-time Holland, Belgium, Israel, Africa and quite Trust runs. Could you tell us some more challenge from the very tip of Scotland right working hours. a few people from Asia. Of course, those about these? down to Land’s End over two weeks. It can people will not be directly affected by Brexit We started doing challenges to raise money be quite a big time commitment though so The Genesis Research Trust is interested itself, but what they will be affected by is for this building, which was built and opened we’re looking for slightly shorter rides to get in the social side of what we do so, at the the hardening of attitudes to immigration by the Prime Minister in 2002. The first big people interested and hopefully generate moment, we run the women’s health unit and allowing people into the country. I think challenge we did was a ride from Jordan more custom. But you’re right – not enough at Queen Charlotte’s Hospital and the Brexit was the result of a wrongful reaction through Israel into Egypt, which was a people have heard about the work we’re research that goes on there. We also have to immigration, and what we haven’t done massive test at the height of summer. That doing. a collection of PhD students who I’d say are is really explain why those people who challenge was for women only, as we wanted the backbone of British science – generally if come into labs like these are actually a huge to promote women doing something for What do you think taking part in these you go to any lab in Britain, the best research benefit to the UK. their own gender that would help women challenges has taught you? is being done by the doctoral students. We scientists researching women’s health. That I’ve been on most of the challenges and I fund all of our doctoral student’s research I don’t know how it will affect us at the then developed into what was called the think it’s given me a massive respect for the materials and we’re rather proud of that – we Genesis Research Trust in particular, but women-for-women challenge, which we have women who are prepared to take part. Very think that’s one of the reasons why this is I think generally all research groups are now done a number of over the years. We often you start off with a group of people such an important place. concerned – there is a worry that we won’t went from Gallipoli to Izmir in Turkey one who are strangers to each other, but by the be able to attract the high quality teams we year, we went right along the Nile for two end of the ride, five or six days later, they We look for young people who have energy, currently have. years running, we’ve been to Cuba, we’ve are almost a different group – they are in work well in a team and are capable of doing been to Rajasthan, we’ve been to China many each other’s arms, they’re crying, they’ve really innovative things. We try not to be too That is a real shame. It sounds like Genesis times, we’ve been to Cambodia, we’ve been made permanent friendships. There’s an disciplinary as well, as we like to let them Research Trust has a fantastic code of ethics to Vietnam, and we’ve been to other parts extraordinary camaraderie about that and I have freedom when researching. That’s part in place though – you promote equality and of the world as well, including the Baltic and find that very uplifting. of the ethos here, and a very large number of a collaboration between scientists from Peking. Our next big rides are to Burma and our doctoral students are also women. different backgrounds and nationalities an amazing trip to Madagascar which we’ve • Genesis Research Trust are always which is fantastic to hear. already got close to 100 people signed up grateful for donations of any amount to How important is collaboration with other for. help continue their vital work. If you would scientific researchers to you at Genesis Going back to the research side of things, like to donate to the charity generally, or Research Trust? and with the recent commercialisation of These challenges are deliberately arduous contribute specifically to a supporter’s All science groups, if they’re any good, IVF treatment, do you think there is now – we don’t make it easy – but women of all fundraising target – or even would like collaborate around the world. Over the more than ever a need for clear, accurate shapes and sizes do them and they have to take part on one of their future cycle years we have collaborated with Harvard, and unbiased information for women who been very successful. The trouble really is rides or treks – please visit their website at Caltech, University of California, Cambridge are having problems conceiving? that when we started this we were one of www.genesisresearchtrust.com. University and many other world-class Well one of the things we have at Genesis the first charities doing this kind of thing. institutions. There was a time in Britain when Research Trust is the ‘Ask Robert’ section of Now of course there is a massive market for this place was responsible for more than the Genesis Research Trust website where them, but we still think our charity is rather half the professors in our field in the United people can contact me directly with a special because our cause is such a good Kingdom. Certainly in my own lab, I used to question, anonymously, and we try to give one – reproductive medicine generally only have a map of all the countries in the world them unbiased information. receives 0.2% of charitable giving. It’s easy Contact which I would cover with hundreds of pins to to think of a neighbour or a relative who has represent the nationalities of the people in We’re not prepared to recommend a clinic to watched a baby die of a genetic disease that Genesis Research Trust the lab. There was one time when we could them, and we won’t recommend a particular could have been treatable in a unit like this – even count 65 different languages being doctor, because we don’t think that would it’s important to remember that when you’re Du Cane Road, London spoken in the lab. be anything other than biased, but we try to pedalling up a hill in unbearable humidity. W12 0NN prematurity is a huge problem in Africa give information. I think we should generally I think the influence of institutions such as and the greatest cause of maternal death is There is a general be doing more of that within a whole range Like you say, these challenges are for a T: +44 (0)20 7594 2192 ours is not fully understood and that’s one of preeclampsia. By working with communities of women’s health issues, but it is definitely fantastic cause but it seems like not many E: [email protected] the reasons xenophobia about immigration in the poorest parts of the world, we can recognition for how needed within fertility. people have heard about them. Are Genesis W: www.genesisresearchtrust.com is such a negative thing. Places like the help improve the health for both women and Research Trust hoping to get more people Genesis Research Trust understand that we their babies. There is a general recognition important international How successful has that service been? involved in the future? /GenesisResearchTrust have a responsibility to make sure we are for how important international collaboration collaboration is, not just We get lots of letters of deep gratitude and We haven’t advertised enough – that’s been Youtube/Genesis Research Trust training people from outside the UK and is, not just with scientists, but with people who think that it’s wonderful we do an issue – so I think we could do much more @ProfRWinston we’ve always done that very well here – communities who have the needs we would with scientists, but with it. It’s very time consuming though, and it about promulgating what we do. We’ve used @GenesisTrustUK people come here to do their own research like to support. can be very expensive, because each answer a few of the television programmes I go on, and then go back to their own country to communities who have takes 30 – 40 minutes to really make sure like This Morning and so on, and Fern Britton develop it more. Do you think Brexit will significantly impact that the information is accurate. While we has been a wonderful patron. We’ve also had the research activities of Genesis Research the needs we would like don’t ask for a donation on the site, we hope Charlotte Holmes, a former Miss England, A lot of our research is also taken up in the Trust? that more people will donate for this work as who has been one of our patrons too, but we poorest countries in the world. We have It’s difficult to say but it’s quite likely that it to support it really benefits the charity. haven’t done enough of that sort of outreach. projects that have influenced perinatal might do. When I last looked at the people care in every African nation and, in fact, working in this laboratory, we had people We at Research Features love the We can also probably do more challenges most developing nations. For instance, from the United States, Finland, Russia, fundraising challenges Genesis Research inside the UK. Fern Britton has twice done a

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