Benefits of Animal Research in Medical Research By nsgraham Oct 9, 1881 Germ Theory of Disease Oct 9, 1898 Malaria-parasite's life-cycle discovered Oct 9, 1902 MIce and Genetics Oct 9, 1905 Transplant surgery first performed on a human Oct 9, 1913 Diphtheria prevented by immunisation Oct 9, 1914 Vitamin A discovered Oct 9, 1915 Blood Transfusion Oct 9, 1921 Neurotransmission demonstrated Oct 9, 1922 Insulin isolated Oct 9, 1926 Pernicious anaemia Oct 9, 1937 Heparin used as an anticoagulant Oct 9, 1940 Penicillin protects mice against infection Oct 9, 1945 Dialysis developed for kidney failure Oct 9, 1955 Polio vaccine developed Oct 9, 1958 Cardiac pacemakers Oct 9, 1961 Artificial heart valves Oct 9, 1967 Heart transplants successful in humans Oct 9, 1977 Smallpox eradicated through vaccination Oct 9, 1982 Leprosy treatments developed Oct 9, 1987 AZT - the first drug treatment for HIV Oct 9, 1992 Hib-meningitis vaccine Oct 9, 1996 Cloning Dolly the sheep Oct 9, 2002 Sequencing & analysis of the mouse genome Oct 9, 2008 First tissue-engineered whole-organ transplant