In a 1675 letter addressed to Robert Hooke, Isaac Newton articulated his renowned declaration: 'The progress I've achieved is a result of building upon the achievements of those who came before me'. This phrase has since become a symbol of scientific advancement, and perhaps inspired the naming of Titans of Science, a unique series featured in the popular science podcast: The Naked Scientists. The series abounds with in-depth interviews featuring prominent figures in the field of science.
In this episode, Dr Chris Smith, founder of the podcast, interviewed Lord Robert Winston, an IVF pioneer. Their conversation offers a captivating exploration into the life, experiences, and profound contributions of this multifaceted titan of science. Born in 1940, Lord Winston's life has been marked by an impressive career in medicine, pioneering work in fertility, and an unexpected journey into the realm of television presenting and political involvement. I have always loved listening to stories of others' life experience and was that kid who refused to sit at the kids table just so I could hear the adults' conversation about the good old days. So I happily tuned in for the listen.
The interview began with Lord Winston sharing memories of his early life, being raised in a politically engaged family with ties to theatre and music. Perhaps these early hints seeded a creative and performative spirit, foreshadowing Lord Winston's later involvement in television and the House of Lords. The transition from a potential career in theatre to medicine is an unexpected twist in Lord Winston's narrative, and makes me wonder the serendipity that often shapes our destinies.
The podcast goes on to unravel Lord Winston's journey through medical school, which eventually led him to focus on women's health and reproductive medicine. They discussed the early days of IVF treatment, and addressed the complex dynamics between key figures in the field. I was interested to learn about Lord Winston's remark on fellow IVF pioneers, embryologist Professor Sir Robert Edwards and gynaecologist Patrick Steptoe. Lord Winston hinted about the lack of transparency regarding how they conducted experiments on women before their first IVF success, and how this was published via the press rather than through scientific journals. Furthermore, knowing their research dated back to the sixties, a time when research ethics committees had not yet been established. This makes me wonder about the truthfulness of the stories about the dark side of IVF during its preliminary development.
I particularly enjoyed hearing the story about Australian embryologist Professor Alan Trounson smoking underneath his PPE in the lab while looking down the microscope. Perhaps that could be a direct data contribution to establishing links between nicotine smoking and IVF conception rate!
As the podcast progresses, Lord Winston candidly shares his surprise at the monumental impact of IVF. It is wild to think that when Louise Brown, the first IVF baby, was born 45 years ago, the media was heavily condemning the groundbreaking technology with headlines such as 'the work of the devil'. Shifting to the present day, an astonishing seven million people have been conceived through IVF.
I found it enlightening to hear Lord Winston criticising the lack of clinical focus on understanding and addressing the root causes of infertility. Rather, IVF is heavily exploited as a palliative measure to merely treat the symptoms of infertility, and runs at less than a 25 percent success rate per cycle while being financially costly.
Beyond his contributions to reproductive medicine, the podcast explores Lord Winston's foray into the world of broadcasting. Lord Winston reflects on the intersection of science and television, revealing the transformative role of key mentors and production teams in helping him convey science clearly to the lay public, which is something researchers often struggle with.
The latter part of the conversation delves into Lord Winston's political engagement, as he discusses his tenure in the House of Lords and the evolving landscape of scientific representation in politics. The conversation unveils the intricacies of committee work, strategic decisions, and the importance of ethical judgment in crafting legislation on complex issues like nuclear waste and embryo research.
Lord Winston highlighted the decline in scientific voices in the House of Lords, and emphasises the need for experts, especially in times of critical decisions such as those related to advanced genetics and embryo research. This is a particularly pressing issue as last year, the first children were born following mitochondrial donation in the UK (see BioNews 1189).
The discussion concludes with considerations on transgender issues, where Lord Winston cautiously navigates the scientific and ethical aspects, stressing the importance of understanding the underlying motivations behind such decisions.
In summary, the podcast offers a rich and thought-provoking journey through the life of Lord Robert Winston, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of his diverse contributions to medicine, science, broadcasting and politics. Lord Winston's engaging storytelling, coupled with the insightful questions from the host, creates an informative and entertaining narrative that is well worth the listeners' time, especially for those interested in medical breakthroughs, the dynamics of IVF research, the intersection of science and media, or the role of scientists in politics.
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