Outline of Modern GeneticsOutline of Modern Genetics► Jean Baptiste Lamarck (French, early Jean Baptiste Lamarck (French, early

1919thth c.): “The Inheritance of Acquired c.): “The Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics” Characteristics”

►Charles Darwin (English, 1859): Species Charles Darwin (English, 1859): Species can change through the process of can change through the process of natural selection natural selection

►Gregor Mendel (Austrian, 1865): Gregor Mendel (Austrian, 1865): Founder of modern genetics; Founder of modern genetics; Experimental discovery of inheritance of Experimental discovery of inheritance of traits from one generation to the next; traits from one generation to the next; genes as material foundation of genes as material foundation of heredityheredity

Jean B. Lamarck (1744-1829)Jean B. Lamarck (1744-1829)

Charles Darwin (1809-1882)Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

Gregor Mendel (1822-1884)Gregor Mendel (1822-1884)

Modern GeneticsModern Genetics

►Thomas Morgan (1866-1945): Located Thomas Morgan (1866-1945): Located genes at chromosomes and developed genes at chromosomes and developed modern genetics through experiments modern genetics through experiments on on DrosophilaDrosophila—fruit flies—fruit flies

►Oswald Avery (1877-1955) and Oswald Avery (1877-1955) and colleagues: Discovered in 1944 that colleagues: Discovered in 1944 that DNA was the molecule that contained DNA was the molecule that contained genetic informationgenetic information

Thomas Morgan (1866-1945)Thomas Morgan (1866-1945)

Oswald Avery (1877-1955)Oswald Avery (1877-1955)

Watson and CrickWatson and Crick

► James Watson (1928-) and Francis Crick James Watson (1928-) and Francis Crick (1916-2004): “Cracked” the molecular (1916-2004): “Cracked” the molecular structure of DNA and explained how the structure of DNA and explained how the genetic codes were transferred from one genetic codes were transferred from one generation to another.generation to another.

►Maurice Wilkins (1916-2004) and Maurice Wilkins (1916-2004) and Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958): made the Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958): made the crucial contributions to Watson and Crick crucial contributions to Watson and Crick with their crystallography of DNAwith their crystallography of DNA

James WatsonJames Watson

Francis CrickFrancis Crick

Rosalind FranklinRosalind Franklin

Maurice WilkinsMaurice Wilkins

Genetics after DNAGenetics after DNA

►Genetic engineering: 1973, Herbert Genetic engineering: 1973, Herbert Boyer and Stan Cohen first transferred Boyer and Stan Cohen first transferred genes from one species to anothergenes from one species to another

►Opening the door for genetically Opening the door for genetically engineered drugs and genetically engineered drugs and genetically modified organisms, including food.modified organisms, including food.

►1970s: Golden age of genetically 1970s: Golden age of genetically engineering, producing a revolution in engineering, producing a revolution in pharmaceutical industry and pharmaceutical industry and agriculture.agriculture.

Ethical IssuesEthical Issues►Are we playing God?Are we playing God?►1970s: Scientists’ self-imposed 1970s: Scientists’ self-imposed

moratorium on genetic engineeringmoratorium on genetic engineering►Biological warfare: Genetically Biological warfare: Genetically

engineered biological agentsengineered biological agents►1980: Supreme Court allowed genetically 1980: Supreme Court allowed genetically

modified plant to be patentedmodified plant to be patented►1990s: The Human Genome Project1990s: The Human Genome Project►2000s: Debate over human cloning and 2000s: Debate over human cloning and

therapeutic human embryonic stem cell therapeutic human embryonic stem cell researchresearch

►2005: Korean scientists simplified human 2005: Korean scientists simplified human stem cell research, but later discreditedstem cell research, but later discredited