Bob Edwards centenary: His life, work and legacy
This conference to celebrate the life, work and legacy of Sir Robert Edwards (IVF pioneer) will take part in two sessions. The afternoon session, focussing on science and clinical practice, will take part in the Physiology Lecture Theatre, hosted by the Loke Centre for Trophoblast Research (2pm-4.30pm). The evening session, focussing on the life and legacy of Bob Edwards, will take part in the Wolfson Lecture Theatre at Churchill College (5.45pm-7.30pm). For more information on Bob Edwards please see the Churchill Archives Centre event page.
The Bob Edwards centenary conference has been organised by the family of Bob Edwards, the Loke Centre for Trophoblast Research, and Churchill Archives Centre (Churchill College). The conference is supported by Cambridge Reproduction.
You can register for either, or both, sessions. Please only select one ticket type per person. Please register to guarantee your place.
Science and clinical practice (Physiology Lecture Theatre, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience)
2:00-3:00 PM: Science
2:00 – Dr Kay Elder (Bourn Hall Clinic, Cambridge) What is past is prologue
2:15 – Dr Marta Shahbazi (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge) Developmental plasticity of the early human embryo
2:30 – Julie Tang (recipient of the 2024 Johnson Woodman-Loke CTR PhD Studentship) The role of epigenetics in mouse placental development
2:35 – Dr Geraldine Jowett (Gurdon Institute, Cambridge) The quest to create human gametes from stem cells
2:50 – Ana Orsi (recipient of the 2023 Loke CTR-Sir Robert Edwards Churchill College PhD studentship) Mechanisms of human and cow hypoblast development
3:00-3:30 PM Tea break and plaque ceremony
During the tea break of this session, we will visit the plaque outside of the Physiology Building commemorating the work for a group photo and short ceremony led by Mike MacNamee
3:30-4:30 PM: Clinical practice
3:30 – Dr Kamal Ahuja (Scientific and Managing Director of London Women's Clinic, first met Bob Edwards as a PhD student in the Marshall Laboratory in the 1970s) Robert Edwards: the polymath father of IVF
3:40 – Professor Alan Handyside (pioneer of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis and had PhD examined by Bob Edwards) Preimplantation Genetic Testing
3:50 – Panel discussion. Chair: Professor Peter Braude (Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, King's College, London). Panellists: Dr Kamal Ahuja, Professor Alan Handyside, Dr Marta Shahbazi, Dr Kay Elder
In-person registration for the afternoon session, Science and Clinical Practice, also includes access to a Zoom link for live streaming. The link will be circulated 1-2 weeks before the event.
Accessibility information for the Physiology Lecture Theatre is available here but please contact execmgr.lokectr@pdn.cam.ac.uk with any questions or requests.
A map and information about transport to the Physiology Lecture Theatre is available here
Life and legacy (Wolfson Lecture Theatre, Churchill College)
5.45-7.15pm: Panel discussion on Robert Edwards' life and legacy chaired by Roger Highfield (Director of the Science Museum Group).
The panel will feature Emma Barnett (British Broadcaster and Journalist with a young IVF child), Fiona Bennett (former Executive Editor of Reproductive BioMedicine Online journal which Bob started), Louise Brown (the first IVF baby), Professor Sir Richard Gardner (Bob's PhD student and Oxford University Lecturer), Dr Jenny Joy (Bob's daughter and creator of his archive), and Dr Mike Macnamee (former CEO of Bourn Hall Clinic who knew Bob well).
7.15-7.30pm: Drinks reception and display of facsimiles from archives relating to Robert Edwards' life and legacy (including his archive held at Churchill Archives Centre). The facsimile display will also be available to view before the panel session (in the Wolfson Foyer from 4.30pm).
For more information on the evening life and legacy panel discussion, including speaker biographies please see the Churchill Archives Centre event page.
Accessibility information for Churchill College including the Wolfson Lecture Theatre is available here, but please contact archives@chu.cam.ac.uk with any questions or requests.
A map of Churchill College is available here and information about transport to the College and parking is available here
Travel Between Venues
The two venues are a short distance apart: approximately a 10-minute drive, 20-minute bus ride, 30-minute walk, or 10-minute cycle. A map showing the locations is available below
For any queries relating to the conference please feel free to contact execmgr.lokectr@pdn.cam.ac.uk or archives@chu.cam.ac.uk
