Research

Robert Winston’s early research contributed to a new understanding of the female reproductive system and some of the diseases that affect millions of women worldwide. Through close collaborations with highly skilled researchers and surgeons, the work carried out at the reproductive group at Hammersmith Hospital, and subsequently the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, has revolutionised in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and the treatment of female reproductive diseases. There are now alumni from the unit in about 80 different countries.

Winston’s current research, a collaboration between researchers at the California Institute of Technology and Imperial College London, has a genetic focus with aims that include improving the production of stem cells from embryonic tissue and reducing genetic abnormalities in embryos.

The research Robert Winston carried out early in his career on animal models led to the development of meticulous techniques to improve fertility surgery. He developed both the technique and instruments to carry out pelvic microsurgery, which enabled him to study various reproductive system diseases, including fallopian tube damage and pelvic inflammatory disease. Study of the ciliated epithelium and close examination of the Fallopian tubes allowed greater understanding of both ectopic pregnancy and hydrosalpinx. Through contributions to treating ectopic pregnancy and developing techniques to unblock fallopian tubes, Winston developed now commonplace surgeries that have led to high pregnancy rates.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the work of the reproductive group at Hammersmith Hospital revolutionised IVF, leading to its place as one of the most successful units in the world. Under the scientific leadership of Stephen Hillier, and later Alan Handyside, the group investigated why many human embryos are not able to survive. The introduction of techniques that allowed embryo biopsies to be taken led to the birth of the first children free of fatal gene defects in 1990. In 2002, under Winston’s leadership, the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology (IRDB) opened on the Hammersmith site, with 130 scientists and clinicians working in 12 related research groups.

Whilst the IRDB was being established, Robert Winston joined forces with Dr Carol Readhead, a senior scientist from the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. They supervise a group working between the IRDB and California who focus on stem cells and the production of transgenics.

Dr Feride Oeztuerk-Winder investigates techniques used to insert new genetic information into existing DNA sequences, with the long-term aim of facilitating the birth of transgenic farm animals (carried out scrupulously, with no animal suffering).

Dr Anil Chandrashekran examines retroviral vectors delivering genetic information into male germ stem cells.

Dr Ellen Poon focuses on deriving human and mouse embryonic stem cells from sources such as donated IVF embryos.

Dr Sheba Jarvis examines the development of male germ cells and the genes they express at different stages of their life cycle.

Robert Winston’s extensive contributions to reproductive medicine are catalogued through articles, reviews, book chapters and academic educational videos dating back to 1973.