medical biotechnology
Edward Jenner's Smallpox Vaccine
1796
First successful vaccination using cowpox to prevent smallpox
medical biotechnology
Louis Pasteur's Germ Theory
1857
Demonstrated microorganisms cause fermentation and disease
agricultural biotechnology
Gregor Mendel's Laws of Inheritance
1865
Established foundational principles of heredity
biotechnology
Term
1919
Károly Ereky introduces the term biotechnology for industrial biology applications
medical biotechnology
Discovery of Insulin
1921
Identification of insulin as a treatment for diabetes
revolutionizing medicine
Penicillin Discovery by Alexander Fleming
1928
Discovery of the first antibiotic
genetic engineering
First Recombinant DNA Experiment
1973
Successful splicing of DNA from different organisms
genetic engineering
Human Insulin Production via rDNA
1982
First genetically engineered drug approved for human use
revolutionizing genetics
Polymerase Chain Reaction Developed
1983
Technique to amplify DNA segments
cloning
Dolly the Sheep Cloned
1996
First mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell
genomics
Human Genome Project Completed
2003
Mapping of the entire human genome sequence
genetic engineering
CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing Developed
2012
Introduction of precise gene-editing technology
genetic engineering
First CRISPR-Cas9 Human Trial
2016
Clinical application of CRISPR-Cas9 in humans
medical biotechnology
Approval of CRISPR-Based Treatment
2020
First regulatory approval of a CRISPR-based therapy for sickle cell disease
biotechnology
Use of Lactic Acid Bacteria
3000
Production of yogurt and cheese through fermentation
biotechnology
Domestication of Animals
4000
Selective breeding of animals for desired traits
biotechnology
Fermentation of Wine
6000
Discovery of fermentation processes in winemaking
biotechnology
Brewing Beer with Yeast
7000
Early use of yeast in brewing by ancient cultures
biotechnology
Development of Agriculture
8000
Cultivation of crops and selective breeding of plants
1796
1857
1865
1919
1921
1928
1973
1982
1983
1996
2003
2012
2016
2020
3000
4000
6000
7000
8000
Biotechnology History Timeline
| Title | Date | Era | Description | Category |
|---|
| Brewing Beer with Yeast | ~7000 BCE | Ancient Civilizations | Early use of yeast in brewing by ancient cultures. | Biotechnology |
| Fermentation of Wine | ~6000 BCE | Ancient Civilizations | Discovery of fermentation processes in winemaking. | Biotechnology |
| Domestication of Animals | ~4000 BCE | Ancient Civilizations | Selective breeding of animals for desired traits. | Biotechnology |
| Development of Agriculture | ~8000 BCE | Ancient Civilizations | Cultivation of crops and selective breeding of plants. | Biotechnology |
| Use of Lactic Acid Bacteria | ~3000 BCE | Ancient Civilizations | Production of yogurt and cheese through fermentation. | Biotechnology |
| Edward Jenner’s Smallpox Vaccine | 1796 | Enlightenment | First successful vaccination using cowpox to prevent smallpox. | Medical Biotechnology |
| Louis Pasteur’s Germ Theory | 1857 | Industrial Revolution | Demonstrated that microorganisms cause fermentation and disease. | Medical Biotechnology |
| Gregor Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance | 1865 | Industrial Revolution | Established foundational principles of heredity. | Agricultural Biotechnology |
| Discovery of Insulin | 1921 | Early 20th Century | Identification of insulin as a treatment for diabetes. | Medical Biotechnology |
| Penicillin Discovery by Alexander Fleming | 1928 | Early 20th Century | Discovery of the first antibiotic, revolutionizing medicine. | Medical Biotechnology |
| Term “Biotechnology” Coined by Károly Ereky | 1919 | Early 20th Century | Introduction of the term to describe industrial biology applications. | Biotechnology |
| First Recombinant DNA Experiment | 1973 | Modern Biotechnology | Successful splicing of DNA from different organisms. | Genetic Engineering |
| Human Insulin Production via rDNA | 1982 | Modern Biotechnology | First genetically engineered drug approved for human use. | Genetic Engineering |
| Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Developed | 1983 | Modern Biotechnology | Technique to amplify DNA segments, revolutionizing genetics. | Genetic Engineering |
| Dolly the Sheep Cloned | 1996 | Modern Biotechnology | First mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell. | Cloning |
| Human Genome Project Completed | 2003 | Modern Biotechnology | Mapping of the entire human genome sequence. | Genomics |
| CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing Developed | 2012 | Modern Biotechnology | Introduction of precise gene-editing technology. | Genetic Engineering |
| First CRISPR-Cas9 Human Trial | 2016 | Modern Biotechnology | Clinical application of CRISPR-Cas9 in humans. | Genetic Engineering |
| Approval of CRISPR-Based Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease | 2020 | Modern Biotechnology | First regulatory approval of a CRISPR-based therapy. | Medical Biotechnology |
