Genetics

• why?

  some diseases were clearly caused by conditions developed in the womb not microbes
• 1900 - Mendel


  genes come in pairs - Fundamental Law of Genetics

  However, microscopes were not powerful enough to prove the theory
• 1902- Garrod


  hereditary diseases were caused by missing chemical pathways in body
• 1941 - Beadle and Tatum


  prove Garrod's Theory - Electro microscope invented
• 1951 - 


  scientist thought there were substances that passed down information for parent to child

  However they could not find the substance
• 1951 - Franklin and Wilson


  took an X-ray photo of DNA

  no one knew what the 3D structure of DNA looked like (problem)
• 1953 - Crick and Watson


  worked out that DNA was long, double helix, which could unzip itself to make copies

  However, we don't know what each section of the DNA does
• 1990 - Watson


  he aimed to map out the human genome (DNA structure) - Human Genome Project
• Human Genome Project


  1st draft was in 2000, scientist had worked out how DNA makes humans

  once perfect Genome had been mapped out - Scientist could look for problems in the DNA of people suffering from Hereditary diseases (eg breast cancer - Angelini Jolie had mastectomy (breasts removed)
• Factors that helped development of genetics


  Individuals -

  Watson +a big team of scientists
• Factors that helped development of genetics

  Tax + attitudes in society -

  people were willing to pay higher taxes for research to continue
• Factors that helped development of genetics

  government -

  provides funding for research
• Factors that helped development of genetics

  science and technology -

  equipment ( eg electron microscope, laboratory's, universities)
• Big progress in another cause of dieases