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The History of Biotechnology

By sally 123
  • 500 BCE

    First Antibiotic

    In China, the first antibiotic, mouldy soybean curds, is put to use to treat boils.
  • 100

    First Insecticide

    The first insecticide is produced in China from powdered chrysanthemums.

  • First Smallpox Vaccine

    English surgeon Edward Jenner pioneers vaccination, inoculating a child with a viral smallpox vaccine.

  • Crossbreeding of Cotton

    Breeders crossbreed cotton, developing hundreds of varieties with superior qualities.

  • First Corn Hybrid

    The first experimental corn hybrid is produced in a laboratory.

  • First Cancer-Causing Virus

    American pathologist Peyton Rous discovers the first cancer-causing virus.

  • Discovery of Penicillin

    Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin.

  • Hybrid Corn

    Hybrid Corn is commercialized

  • Mass-production of Penicllin

    Penicillin is mass-produced in microbes for the first time.
  • Period: to

    Synthetic antibiotic

    The first synthetic antibiotic is created.

  • Insemination of Livestock

    Artificial insemination of livestock is accomplished using frozen semen.

  • DNA

    DNA is made in a test tube for the first time.

  • Human Insulin

    Recombinant human insulin is produced for the first time.

  • Human Growth Hormone

    Human growth hormone is synthesized for the first time.

  • Smallpox

    Smallpox is globally eradicated following a 20-year mass vaccination effort.

  • Patenting Organisms

    The U.S. Supreme Court approves the principle of patenting organisms, which allows the Exxon oil company to patent an oil-eating microorganism.

  • First Transgenic Animals

    Scientists at Ohio University produce the first transgenic animals by transferring genes from other animals into mice.

  • DNA Vaccine for Livestock

    The first recombinant DNA vaccine for livestock is developed.

  • First Biotech Drug

    The first biotech drug, human insulin produced in genetically modified bacteria, is approved by FDA. Genentech and Eli Lilly developed the product.

  • Genetic Markers

    Genetic markers are found for kidney disease and cystic fibrosis.

  • First Recombinant Vaccine for Humans

    The first recombinant vaccine for humans, a vaccine for hepatitis B, is approved.