The first recombinant vaccine for humans, a vaccine for hepatitis B, was approved
In May 1986, the vaccine Recombivax HB, which protects against hepatitis B infection, was approved for marketing in…
First clinical tests conducted at UW of EPO to correct anemia of kidney failure
On Dec. 2, 1985, the first clinical tests were held at the University of Washington of erythropoietin (EPO),…
Swedish biologist Svante Paabo analzyed ancient DNA in Egyptian mummies
On Apr. 16, 1985, Swedish biologist Svante Paabo of University of Uppsala in Sweden, a pioneer of ancient…
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…
The human p53 gene was cloned
On Dec. 20, 1984, a team of scientists announced that a cDNA clone for human p53 cellular tumor…
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…
Federal District Court Judge John Sirica temporarily halted federally funded experiments involving release of recombinant DNA organisms
On May 17, 1984, Federal District Court Judge John J. Sirica temporarily halts all federally funded experiments involving…
The restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique, which is a DNA analysis technique, is used in cancer research
In 1983, the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs) was uncovered by the use of restriction endonucleases which cleave…
Agriculture | Biotechnology | Environmental | EPA | NIH
National Institute of Health unanimously approved Lindow test
In 1983, the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee unanimously approved Lindow test. Stephen Lindow,…
The polymerase chain reaction technique (PCR) was introduced
In 1983, Kary Mullis, PhD, a scientist at the Cetus Corp., conceived of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as…
Biotechnology | Disease | FDA | Therapeutics
The first biotech drug, human insulin produced in genetically modified bacteria, was approved by FDA
On Oct. 28, 1982, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Humulin, Eli Lily’s recombinant insulin made…
The first major DNA sequence databases were established in the U.S. (GenBank) and Germany
In 1982, the first major DNA sequence databases were established in the U.S. (GenBank) and Germany. GenBank ®…
The first recombinant DNA vaccine for livestock was developed
In 1982, the first recombinant DNA vaccine for livestock was developed. An advantage of the vaccines made through…
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Washington injected purified DNA into a single-cell mouse embryo
In 1981, Frank Ruddle from Yale University, Frank Costantini and Elizabeth Lacy from Oxford, and Ralph L. Brinster…
AMGen (Applied Molecular Genetics) was founded
On Apr. 8, 1980, AMGen (Applied Molecular Genetics) was established in Thousand Oaks, California with George B. Rathmann…
The Nobel Laureate in Chemistry was awarded jointly to Frederick Sanger, Walter Gilbert and to Paul Berg for gene cloning
In 1980, the Nobel Laureate in Chemistry was awarded jointly to Frederick Sanger and Walter Gilbert for “for…
Early concern over the dangers of recombinant DNA has waned and NIH guidelines were relaxed
In 1979, early concern over the dangers of recombinant DNA has waned and the National Institutes of Health…
Joan Steitz discovered snRNPs
In 1979, Joan Steitz discovered snRNPs, RNA-protein complexes in the cell’s nucleus that perform a crucial step in…
Prenatal DNA sequencing was developed at Boston Children’s
In 1978, Boston Children’s researcher Stuart Orkin and his team developed a new DNA sequencing technique for prenatal…
Genentech was founded
On Apr. 7, 1976, Genentech was founded by venture capitalist Robert Swanson and biochemist Dr. Herbert Boyer. In…
Southern blot technique was developed to analyze DNA fragments
In 1975, the Southern blot technique was developed to analyze DNA fragments. The technique was named after its…
Recombinant DNA sequencing methods were developed
In 1975, recombinant DNA sequencing methods were developed. From being the most difficult macromolecule of the cell to…
Scientist gathered at Asilomar, CA, for the first international conference on the potential dangers of recombinant DNA
In 1975, scientist gathered at Asilomar, CA, for the first international conference on the potential dangers of recombinant…
Recombinant DNA was perfected
In 1974, the modern era of biotechnology began when Stanley Cohen of Stanford University and Herbert Boyer of…
The FDA approved doxorubicin (Adriamycin)
In 1974, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved doxorubicin (Adriamycin), an antitumor anthracycline antibiotic from Streptomyces…
Agriculture | Biotechnology | Environmental | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | Polio | Vaccine
Molecular biologist Robert Pollack published “Biohazards in Biological Research”
In 1973, the publication “Biohazards in Biological Research,” was edited by S. Hellman, M. Oxman, and R. Pollack. …
Stanford Medicine researchers demonstrated the first expression of a foreign gene implanted in bacteria by recombinant DNA methods
In 1973, Stanford Medicine researchers demonstrated the first expression of a foreign gene implanted in bacteria by recombinant…
The University of California Radiation Laboratory (Livermore) was the first to use flow cytometry to sort chromosomes
In 1972, Livermore was the first to use flow cytometry to sort chromosomes. By the end of the…
Stanford Medicine researchers first constructed a recombinant DNA molecule containing DNA from two different species
In 1972 Stanford Medicine researchers first constructed a recombinant DNA molecule containing DNA from two different species.
The term “Junk DNA” coined by Dr. Susumu Ohno
In 1972, Dr. Susumu Ohno, writing in the Brookhaven Symposium on Biology in the article “So Much ‘Junk…