Nobel Laureate, IVF pioneer Robert Edwards dead

London: Robert Edwards, a Nobel Laureate who was a pioneer of in vitro fertilization, has died. He was 87.The University of Cambridge, where he was a professor, said on Wednesday that Edwards passed away peacefully in his sleep.[caption id="attachment_694065" align="alignleft" width="380"] Professor Robert Edwards at Bourn Hall Clinic,  England. AFP[/caption]Together with Dr Patrick Steptoe, Edwards developed in vitro fertilization, or IVF, which resulted in the birth of Louise Brown in 1978, the world's first test-tube baby. At the time, the two were accused of playing God and interfering with nature.Since then, more than 4 million babies have been born using the technique, which creates embryos in the laboratory before transferring them into a woman.In 2010, Edwards was awarded the Nobel prize in medicine for the development of IVF. Steptoe had already passed away; the Nobel prizes are not awarded posthumously.Associated Press