YEAR	WHAT HAPPENED?
1973	Dr. Stanely Cohen and Dr. Herbert Boyer invented the technique DNA cloning, which allowed genes to be transplanted between different biological species. Their discovery signalled the birth of genetic engineering.
1974	Scientists predict it will take 5 to 10 years before human genes will be able to be inserted into bacterial DNA and be mass-produced. It ends up only taking 3 years.
1976	Robert Swanson (left) and Dr. Herbert Boyer founded Genentech on April 7.
1977	Genentech produces the first human protein (somatostatin) in a microorganism (E. coli bacteria).
1978	Human insulin cloned by Genentech scientists.
1979	Human growth hormone cloned by Genentech scientists.

 

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