Bill Schroeder, the second human recipient of the Jarvik 7 artificial heart, was discharged from the hospital
On Apr. 6, 1985, Bill Schroeder from Jasper, Indiana, the second human recipient of the Jarvik 7 artificial…
CDC | HIV | Life Science History | Therapeutics | WHO
The CDC co-sponsored the first International Conference on AIDS
In Apr. 15, 1985, the first International AIDS conference, held in Atlanta, Georgia, was organized by the WHO,…
The Normal School (Arizona State University) was founded
On Mar. 12, 1885, Arizona State University (ASU), located in Phoenix, was founded by House Bill 164 in…
Biology | Disease | Environmental | EPA | Neurology
The EPA sets new limits on lead in gasoline
On Mar. 4, 1985, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee M. Thomas announced final standards to cut…
Biotechnology | Diagnostics | FDA | HIV
Red Cross Blood Services began testing all newly donated blood with the first HIV detection test
On Mar. 4, 1985, the Red Cross Blood Services began testing all newly donated blood with the first…
Biotechnology | FDA | HIV
The FDA approved the first test for HIV antbody screening of blood donors
On Mar. 2, 1985, the FDA announced the approval of the Abbott first antibody test kit to screen…
Ground was broken for a new Madigan Army Medical Center
On Jan. 18, 1985, ground was broken for a new 1.2 million square foot, 414-bed Madigan Army Medical…
The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute was founded
In 1985, the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) was founded in Pittsburgh. UPCI has 320 faculty members…
DNA fingerprinting discovered at University of Leicester first used to resolve disputed immigration
In 1985, DNA fingerprinting was first used to resolve a disputed immigration case that confirmed the identity of…
Nerve-sparing prostatectomy, designed to preserve potency and urinary continence, was introduced
In 1985, nerve-sparing prostatectomy, designed to preserve potency and urinary continence, was introduced. This procedure resulted in markedly…
Lumpectomy plus radiation therapy is found equivalent to mastectomy for early breast cancer
In 1985, Lumpectomy plus radiation therapy was found equivalent to mastectomy for early breast cancer. Lumpectomy followed by…
The USDA’s Germplasm Resources Information Network went on-line
In 1985, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), the remnant of the effort…
Biotechnology | Infectious Disease | Polio | Vaccine | WHO
Rotary International established its PolioPlus program
In 1985, Rotary International established its PolioPlus program, which held two fundraising events. Rotary has contributed over $500…
Federal courts ruled private companies don’t need NIH permission to field test genetically engineered organisms
In 1985, Federal courts ruled that private companies don’t need National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) permission for field…
Mikhail Gorbachev, an agricultural specialist, became Soviet leader after the death of Konstantin Chernenko
In 1985, an agricultural specialist with no experience in foreign affairs, Mikhail Gorbachev, becomes Soviet leader after the…
Biotechnology | CDC | Diagnostics | HIV | NIH | Therapeutics
The CDC revised the case definition of AIDS to include additional specific disease conditions
In 1985, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised the case definition of AIDS to…
Virologist Flossie Wong-Staal became the first person to clone HIV, which led to the development of HIV detection blood tests
In 1985, virologist Flossie Wong-Staal became the first person to clone HIV, which led to the development of…
Scientists discovered the HER2 gene
In 1985, the HER2 oncogene was discovered by Axel Ullrich, a young scientist at Genentech. The new oncogene…
Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases (CDIPD) was founded
In 1985, the CDIPD was founded as an NIH-NIAID-supported Tropical Disease Research Unit (TDRU) at University of California,…
California launched its own Genetic Resources Conservation Program
In 1985, California becomes the first state to launch its own Genetic Resources Conservation Program. Designed to preserve…
Telomerase discovered by graduate students
In 1985, telomerase was discovered by University of California, Berkeley graduate student Carol Greider, as well as Elzabeth…
The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit was named in honor of Meyer L Prentis, a Detroit philanthropist
In 1985, the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit was named in honor of Meyer L. Prentis, a…
Dr. Anthony Pawson discovered the SH2 protein domain involved in controlling cell behavior, leading to targeted cancer drugs
In 1985, Dr. Anthony Pawson discovered the SH2 protein domain involved in controlling cell behavior, leading to targeted…
Michael Stuart Brown was awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine
In 1985, Michael Stuart Brown from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas was awarded the…
The human p53 gene was cloned
On Dec. 20, 1984, a team of scientists announced that a cDNA clone for human p53 cellular tumor…
Allan Wilson and Russell Higuchi become the first to clone genes from an extinct species
On Nov. 15, 1984 Allan Wilson and Russell Higuchi of the University of CA at Berkeley become the…
The Hatch-Waxman Act was passed to encourage development of generic prescription drugs
On Sept. 24, 1984 the Hatch-Waxman Act (Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act) was passed to…
Alec Jefferies and technician Vicky Wilson discovered minisatellites leading to the development of genetic fingerprinting
On Sept. 10, 1984, geneticist Alec Jeffreys, and technician Vicky Wilson at the University of Leicester in England…
The costs of hepatitis B vaccine and its administration became a covered benefit under Medicare Part B
On Sept. 1, 1984, with the enactment of P.L. 98-369 by the U.S. Congress, coverage under Part B…
House-Senate conference committee allocated $20 million for the USDA’s biotechnology initiative
On Jun. 6, 1984, the wave of interest in agricultural biotechnology reached the U.S. Congress when a House-Senate…