Lord Winston ‘privileged’ to receive honorary degree

Fertility expert and broadcaster Professor Robert Winston has been awarded an honorary degree from Birmingham City University.

The award ceremony took place at Symphony Hall on Tuesday, where the university recognised the achievements of students from Birmingham City Business School.

After receiving his honorary degree, Lord Winston said: “I am greatly privileged.  This large university’s important commitment to education – not only for its own students in so many subjects, but for training students who will improve education at all ages including early years – is very dear to my heart. Institutions like this make a massive difference to our society and to the welfare of the next generation.”

Professor Winston, who is Professor of Science and Society and Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College London, has presented numerous award-winning TV and radio series, including The Secret Life of Twins and The Human Body. He has also written more than 20 books.

In the 1970s Professor Winston developed techniques to improve fertility treatments and later pioneered improvements in In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).  These subsequently led to developments in pre-implantation diagnosis.  He heads up research at the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology at Imperial College where his latest work involves investigations into the modification of genes to improve the treatment of many medical conditions.