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6000 BCE
BCE
Yogurt and cheese made with lactic acid-producing bacteria by various cultures. -
Discovery of Protozoa
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek discovers and describes bacteria and protozoa -
First Vaccine
Edward Jenner uses first viral vaccine to inoculate a child from smallpox. -
Fermentation
Louis Pasteur discovers the bacterial origin of fermentation. -
Laws of Inheritance
Gregor Mendel discovers the laws of inheritance. -
Bacteria for Identification
Robert Koch develops a technique for staining bacteria for identifacation. -
Cholera and Anthrax Vaccine
Louis Pasteur develops vaccines against bacteria that cause cholera and anthrax in chickens -
First Rabies Vaccine
Louis Pasteur and Emile Roux developed the first rabies vaccine abd used it on Joseph Meister. -
"Biotechnology" First used
Karl Ereky, a Hungarian agricultural engineer, fist uses the word biotechnology -
First Antibiotic
Alexander Fleming notices that a certain mould could stop the duplication of bacteria leading to the firat antibiotic; penillin. -
Structure of DNA
James D. Watson and Francis Crick describe the stucture of DNA. -
Recombinant DNA
Stanley Norman Cohen and Herbert Boyer preform the first successful recombinant DNA experiment, using bacterial genes. -
Gene Cloning
The U.S. for patent gene cloning is awarded to Cohen and Boyer. -
First Biotech Drug Approved by FDA
Humulin, Genetech's human insulin drug produced by genetically engineered bacteria for the treatment of diabetes, is the first biotech drug to be approved by the food and drug administration. -
PCR
The polymerase China Reaction technique is conceived. -
Gene Therapy
First federally approved gene therapy treatment is preformed successfully on a young girl who suffered from an immune disorder. -
FDA Approves GMO Food
The United States Food and Drug Administration approves first GM food: the "Flavr Savr" Tomato. -
Cloning
British scientists, led by Ian Wilmut from the Roslin Institute, report cloning Dolly the Sheep using DNA from two adult sheep cells. -
Human Genome Project
Completion of a "rough draft" of the human genome in the [Human Genome Project]. -
Human Genome Project
The Human Genome Project is completed, providing information on the locations and sequence of human genes on all 46 chromosomes. -
GMO-Resistant Pests Appear
Bt-toxin-resistant caterpillar-cum-moth, Helicoverpa zea, is found feasting on GMO Bt cotton crops in the southern United States. -
First Medical Experiment Module "Kibo"
Japanese astonomers launched the first Medical Experiment Module called "Kibo" , to be used on the International space station. -
Bt Toxin Discovered in Humans
Research in eastern Quebec finds Bt toxins in the blood of pregnant women and shows evidence that the toxin is passed to fetuses. -
Farmer Wins Court Battle
French farmer Paul Francois sues Monsanto for chemical poisoning he claims was caused by its pesticide Lasso, part of the Roundup Ready line of products. Francois wins and sets a new precedent for future cases. -
GMO Patent Expires
Monsanto’s patent on the Roundup Ready line of genetically engineered seeds will end in two years. In 2009, Monsanto introduced Roundup 2 with a new patent set to make the first-generation seed obsolete.