A BRIEF HISTORYFROM MENDEL TO THE HUMAN GENOME PROJECT

1865 | Gregor Mendel, the father of modern genetics, presents his research on experiments in plant hybridization

1869 | Friedrich Miescher identifies "nuclein," DNA with associated proteins, from cell nuclei

1952 | Rosalind Franklin creates Photograph 51, showing a distinctive pattern that indicates the helical shape of DNA

1953 | James Watson and Francis Crick discover the double helix structure of DNA

1961 | Marshall Nirenberg cracks the genetic code for protein synthesis

1977 | Frederick Sanger develops rapid DNA sequencing technique

1983 | First genetic disease mapped, Huntington’s Disease

1983 | Invention of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology for amplifying DNA

1989 | Cystic Fibrosis gene mutation identified

1990 | First evidence provided for the existence of the BRCA1 gene

1990 | The Human Genome Project begins

1995 | Haemophilus influenzae becomes first bacterium genome sequenced

1996 | “Bermuda Principles” drafted for Human Genome Project free data access

1998 | Celera Genomics Corporation founded for sequencing the human genome

1999 | Chromosome 22 first human chromosome to be decoded

2000 | Genome sequence of model organism fruit fly reported

2001 | First draft of the human genome released

2002 | Mouse becomes first mammalian research organism with decoded genome

2003 | Human Genome Project completion announced

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