Swiss Biotech Report 2005

30
MILESTONES IN...
marked in red are scientific contributions coming from CH International scientific contributions
Infrastructure/political contributions from Switzerland
>> 1869 Friedrich Miescher (University of Basle) discovers DNS (= nuclein)
>> 1933 Thaddäus Reichstein develops new Vitamin C Synthesis Sequence with biological key solution (operated by Roche)
>> 1938 Rudolf Signer (University of Berne) develops for the first time DNA in pure form. This serves ultimately for the description of the double helix
>> 1951 Thaddäus Reichstein (University of Basle) receives the Nobel Prize for Medicine for the discovery relating to the hormones of the adrenal cortex,
their structure and biological effects
1953 James Watson and Francis Cricks describe the double helical structure of DNA, which marks the beginning of the modern era of genetics
1955 An enzyme involved in the synthesis of a nucleic acid is isolated for the first time
1956 The enzyme DNA polymerase 1 is discovered. It leads to an understanding of how DNA is replicated
1958 Sickle cell anemia is shown to occur due to a change of a single amino acid
1960 Exploiting base pairing, hybrid DNA-RNA molecules are created
1965 Harris and Watkins successfully fuse mouse and human cells
1966 The genetic code is cracked, demonstrating that a sequence of three nucleotide bases (a codon) determines each of 20 amino acids
1967 The first automatic protein sequencer is perfected
>> 1967 Discovery of restriction enzymes (by Arber)
1969 An enzyme is synthesised in vitro for the first time
1971 First complete synthesis of a gene
1972 The DNA composition of humans is discovered to be 99% similar to that of gorillas and chimpanzees
>> 1975 Vladimir Prelog (ETH Zurich) receives Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his research into the stereochemistry of organic molecules and reactions
1976 The tools of recombinant DNA are first applied to a human inherited disorder
1977 First expression of human gene in bacteria
>> 1978 Werner Arber (University of Basle) receives the Nobel Prize for Physiology/Medicine for the discovery of restriction enzymes
1979 Human growth hormone first synthesised
1982 First biotech drug approved by FDA: human insulin produced in genetically modified bacteria
>> 1984 Niels K. Jerne and Georges J.F. Köhler (then Roche Institute for Immunology in Basle) receive the Nobel Prize for theories concerning
the specificity in development and control of the immune system and the discovery of the principle for production of monoclonal antibodies
1984 The DNA fingerprinting techniques is developed by Alec Jeffreys
1985 Genetic markers found for kidney disease and cystic fibrosis
>> 1986 Heinrich Rohrer and Gerd Binnig (IBM Rüschlikon) receive the Nobel Prize for Physics for the design of the scanning tunneling microscope
1987 First approval for field test of modified food plants: virus-resistant tomatoes
1989 First approval for field test of modified cotton: insect-protected (Bt) cotton