Monday, October 4, 2010

IVF innovator Robert G. Edwards wins Nobel

The biological, with Dr. Patrick Steptoe, Developed techniques for in-vitro fertilization. "Test tube baby" Louise Brown was the first of millions of children born through IVF. 

British biological Robert G. Edwards, whose contributions to the technology of in-vitro fertilization've Made More Than 4 Million couples parents, has Been Awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. 

Working with Dr. Patrick Steptoe, Edwards, now 85, Developed the techniques for Removing mature eggs from a woman's ovaries, fertilizing Them in test tubes and inducing Them Thurs begin dividing before implanting Them Back in the mother. 

Their Efforts yielded the July 25.1978, birth of Louise Brown, the first "test tube baby," demonstrating Both the success and the safety of the technique and Bringing Hope Thurs infertile people all over the world. An Estimated 10% of all couples are Unable to conceive Naturally. 

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Brown is in failing health and was "Unable to Accept the early-morning call from Sweden's Nobel Committee. "I spoke to His Wife, and she was delighted, and she was grieving, they Would be delighted too," the Committee's secretary, Goran Hansson, Told a Stockholm news conference. 

In a statement released by Bourn Hall, the Cambridge IVF Clinic Founded by Steptoe and Edwards, Ruth Edwards said, "The family are delighted and Thrilled That Professor Edwards has Been Awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine for the development of IVF. The success of this Research has Touched the Lives of Millions of people world wide, and his Dedication and single-minded Determination despite opposition from Many Quarters has led Thurs Successful application of His Pioneering Research. " 

Steptoe was honored Not Because Nobel Rules That Require an honoree be alive at the time of the award. Steptoe Died in 1988, Three years before New York's Lasker Foundation Awarded ITS Edwards top award, Which is often viewed as a precursor of the Nobel Prize. 

Critics have questioned why has it Taken So Long Thurs honor the pair's Achievements. Some Suspect That it is due in part to the Vatican's disapproval of the technique Physically Because it separates the conjugal act and conception. Many Other Religious groups initially expressed Also Concerns about the ethics of IVF, and Britain's Medical Research Council refused "Thurs fund the experiments, spurring Edwards and Steptoe Thurs Obtain private grants. 

Most Such groups have now reversed Their Positions, and the Catholic Church Remains the only major group opposed IVF Thurs. The Vatican has released Not Any statement about Monday's award. 

Edwards Began experimenting with IVF in the mid-1950s after they Received his Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Other Researchers Already HAD show rabbit eggs That Could Be successfully inseminated in the test tube, Leading Thurs viable Offspring, and Edwards initially assumed human eggs That Would Be Little Different. 

Turned out it, HOWEVER, That human eggs had occurred an Entirely Different Than Life Cycle rabbit eggs. Over the next 20 years, Edwards made a number of Fundamental discoveries, Clarifying how human eggs matured, How Different hormones Regulated Their maturation and at times of Which Could Be the eggs inseminated successfully. They also Life Determined Under Which conditions on the sperm were activated and the capacity HAD Thurs fertilize eggs. 

By 1969, they had occurred successfully fertilized an egg in a test tube - or, more accurately, in a laboratory petri dish. But the egg Would Not proceed beyond the first cellular division. Edwards reasoned That The Egg Needed Thurs mature in the womb. They contacted Steptoe, a gynecologist WHO was one of the pioneers in laparoscopy, Which used a thin telescope Thurs Observe the ovaries and eggs Manipulate. 

After much work Further, the pair Performed the first IVF is Lesley Brown, WHO Came to the clinic after she and her husband, John, HAD tried unsuccessfully for nine years To Have A Child. Baby Louise was born, and a new world was opened. 

"Louise's birth signified so much," Edwards said at her 25th birthday celebration in 2003. "We had to Fight a lot of opposition, But we had thought we Concepts That Would not Work, and They worked." 

Louise recently HAD her own child, the old-fashioned way. In a statement released by Bourn Hall, she said, "It's fantastic news, me and Mum are so glad That one of the pioneers of IVF has Been Given the Recognition they deserves. We hold Bob in great affection and are delighted Thurs send our personal Congratulations Thurs him and his family at this time. "

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