Genetic Engineering
2004
William French Anderson and his team performed the first gene therapy on humans [Z.15]. This is the beginning of genetic engineering was used as a medicinal tool.
1991
Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, was able to successfully perform the cloning of embryo cells from sheep, popular example is Dolly the Sheep [Z.17]. This broke down the barrier of fiction and science at the time.
1986
Walter Gilbert and Frederick Sanger worked out methods to determine the sequence of bases in DNA [Z.1]. This is the basis of modern genetic engineering.
1980 - 1985
The First transgenic organism (Mouse) Frank Ruddle and his team were the first to create successfully reproduce. First transgenic domestic organism (Pig). First transgenic plant (Tobacco) Mary-Dell Chilton and her team made a tobacco that resisted an antibiotic able to harm the plant [Z.14]. This began changing the farming industry.
1976 - 1978
Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen made the first recombinant organism. Which sparked the interest of many companies into recombination of organisms, in turn, giving more money towards the movement.
1973
A.H. Sturtevant constructed the first of many genetic maps of the chromosome, which assisted later genetic ventures.
1913
Gregor Mendel produces discoveries on the breeding of peas, which become the foundation of modern genetics. Later rediscovered by Hugo de Vries, Carl Correns & Erich von Tschermak
1865 - 1900
Charles Darwin is credited with the birth of modern day life theory. He is most famously known for the theory of evolution and the survival of the fittest idea. He argues that an organism that is most fit to its environment will have the highest chances of survival, thus reproducing and passing on his traits to the next generation. His comprehensive knowledge of traits and how they connect with an environment made his research a highlight of late-1850. The publication of his book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, lead to an uproar in the social and political war. His science started another dispute between the church and the naturalist, and started a political idea known as “Social-Darwinism.” Overall, this book is the beginning of an abundance of scientific fields, including genetics. When traits were further researched, the discovery of genes and further DNA advances started. His studies were conducted on the Galapagos islands, and on the varying sizes of a finch’s beak.
1859
Prehistory
CRISPR / Cas9 is discovered to have gene altering potential by Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier. Quickly becoming the latest gene editing technology with the potential to turn terminal illnesses into a minor inconvience.
Seoul National University in South Korea: first human embryos created that were true clones of the sixteen women who provided the cells to make them. Once again, breaking down the barrier between both fiction and science, but also allowing for the recreation of rarely compatible organs or cells, for example, the heart or bone marrow.
2012 - Now
Mankind has always been doing genetic engineering, although it was far more primitive, in the form of selective breeding, or artificial selection. Beasts of burden were the first to be selectively bred, and thus "pack" animals became more efficient. A popular example is how wolves became dogs.