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 Notes from 2/19: History of Biotechnology

& Genetic Engineering

E. Thatcher


See Boylan & Brown, Ch. 3.

What year witnessed the beginning of biotechnology?

Depends on the focus of biotechnology-

First company: Genetech 1976 [Cohen & Boyer]

First products: Somatostatin & insulin1978

First product manufactured by biotech company: Human growth hormone 1985

 

First recombinant DNA (by humans): 1972 [Cohen & Boyer]

First restriction enzyme isolated: 1970 [Hamilton Smith]

Genetic code deciphered: 1966

Relationship of gene and protein proven: 1930's [Beadle & Tatum]

 

What year witnessed the beginning of regulation of biotechnology? [1]

First published concern about recombinant DNA: 1973

First approved guidelines: 1976

First breach of rules admitted by insulin gene researchers: 1977

 

Milestones in gene therapy

First human gene therapeutically transferred using retrovirus vector 1990

Other vectors: adenoviruses, adeno-associated viruses [AAV], herpesviruses

Other delivery sytems: liposomes of various types, naked DNA via GeneGun

 

Risks of gene therapy

First death associated with gene therapy 1999

Issues:

Healthy patients vs. critically ill patients in studies

Choice of gene delivery system

Longevity of therapy- temporary or a cure?

Conflicts of interest

 

References:

1. D.S. Fredrickson, 1979. A history of the recombinant DNA guidelines in the United States. http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/FF/B/B/K/C/_/ffbbkc.pdf

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 Updated 2/17/03 by thatcher@sonoma.edu