Synthetech was founded in Albany
In 1981, Synthetech was founded in Albany as a fine chemicals company specializing in organic synthesis, biocatalysis and…
Disease | Medicine | Neurology | Therapeutics
Dr. Alexa Canady became the first African American woman in the U.S. to become a neurosurgeon
In 1981, Dr. Alexa Canady became the first African American woman in the U.S. to become a neurosurgeon,…
Immunex Corporation was founded
In 1981, Immunex Corporation was founded by Stephen Duzan, and Christopher Henney and Steven Gillis from the Hutchinson…
Biotechnology | Disease | FDA | Therapeutics
Imre Corp was founded
In 1981, Imre Corp. (Immune Response Systems, Inc.) was founded in Seattle. The company developed the Prosorba Column,…
Dr. Roseli Ocampo-Friedmann received the U.S. Congressional Antarctic Service Medal for her work on microorganisms
In 1981, Filipino and American scientist Dr. Roseli Ocampo-Friedmann received the U.S. Congressional Antarctic Service Medal for her…
Biotechnology | Diagnostics | NIH | Oncology | U.S. Congress
The Health Programs Extension Act of 1980 was signed into law, extending National Cancer Institute authorization for 3 years
On Dec. 17, 1980, the Health Programs Extension Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-538), introduced by Sen. Edward Kennedy,…
Biotechnology | Energy | Life Science History | Marine Science | Materials | Medicine | NIH | Non-Profit Research | U.S. Congress | Vaccine
Bayh-Dole Act passed the U.S. congress allowing universities to patent discoveries made in federally supported laboratories
On Dec. 12, 1980, a bill to amend title 35 of the United States Code (H.R.6933, Public Law:…
Biotechnology | Diagnostics | Disease | NIH | Therapeutics
The NIH Clinical Center was designated the “Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health”
On Dec. 12, 1980, the U.S. Senate passed Joint Resolution 213 which designated the National Institutes of Health’s…
CDC | Environmental | EPA | U.S. Congress
The Superfund was enacted by U.S. Congress
On Dec. 11, 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund, was…
Stanford Medicine researchers first created a human hybridoma cell line
On Nov. 7, 1980, Stanford University researchers Henry Kaplan and Lennart Olsson announced they had created cells to…
Genentech made history on Wall Street with the first biotechnology public offering
On Oct. 14, 1980, the first biotechnology public offering — Genentech makes history on Wall Street when just…
Alumnus Baruj Benacerraf was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology
On Oct. 10, 1980, The Nobel Foundation announced they had awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology…
Biotechnology | NIH | Oncology | Radiology | Therapeutics
Vincent T DeVita, Jr. became the ninth director of the National Cancer Institute, serving until 1988
On Jul. 9, 1980, Dr. Vincent T. DeVita, Jr. became the ninth director of the National Cancer Institute…
The Priestley Medal was awarded to Herbert C. Brown
In 1981, the American Chemical Society awarded the Priestley Medal to Herbert C. Brown ‘for his numerous contributions…
U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Diamond v Chakrabarty
On Jun. 16, 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld five-to-four the patentability of genetically altered organisms, opening the…
Rabies human diploid-cell vaccine (Imovax Rabies by Merieux and Wyvac by Wyeth) were licensed
On Jun. 9, 1980, the rabies human diploid-cell vaccine (Imovax Rabies by Merieux, now Sanofi, and Wyvac by…
The CDC assisted in the study of health effects related to the Mount St Helens volcanic eruption
On May 30, 1980, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report of health…
The World Heath Organization announced that “smallpox has been eradicated from the world”
On May 8, 1980, members of the World Heath Organization (WHO) in Geneva announced that “smallpox had been…
Biotechnology | Diagnostics | Measles | Vaccine | WHO
The World Health Assembly certified the world free of naturally-occurring smallpox
On May 8, 1980, the World Health Assembly certified the world free of naturally-occurring smallpox. Smallpox is an…
Biotechnology | Diagnostics | Disease | Neurology | NIH | Therapeutics
The Alzheimer’s Association was established
On Apr. 10, 1980, the Alzheimer’s Association was established. In 1979, Jerome H. Stone and representatives from several…
AMGen (Applied Molecular Genetics) was founded
On Apr. 8, 1980, AMGen (Applied Molecular Genetics) was established in Thousand Oaks, California with George B. Rathmann…
The Priestley Medal was awarded to Milton Harris
In 1980, The Priestley Medal was awarded to Milton Harris by the American Chemical Society “to recognize distinguished…
The Diamond v Chakrabarty case argued before U.S. Supreme Court
On Mar. 17, 1980, Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty filed a patent application assigned to the General Electric Co. for…
First endowed chair at UW School of Medicine created in memory of Dr. Robert H Williams, founding chair of Department of Medicine
On Mar. 4, 1980, the first endowed chair at University of Washington School of Medicine created in memory…
Brigham and Women’s Hospital was established
In 1980, three of Boston’s oldest and most prestigious Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals – the Peter Bent…
The Gershenson Radiation Oncology Center opened
In 1980, the $2 million Gershenson Radiation Oncology Center (GROC) opened as a partnership between Wayne State University’s…
The Mary Brigh Building opened on the Mayo Clinic campus
In 1980, The Mary Brigh Building, one of the Mayo’s largest expansion projects, opened. The addition added a…
The Chemical Heritage Foundation was established
In 1980, a group of scientists and industrialists concluded that the time had come to found a national…
McGill University researcher Dr. Kelvin Ogilvie developed Ganciclovir to treat or prevent cytomegalovirus infections
In 1980, McGill University researcher Dr. Kelvin Kenneth Ogilvie developed Ganciclovir to treat or prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections….
Genetic Systems was founded
In 1980, Genetic Systems was founded in Seattle as a monoclonal antibody-based diagnostic company by Robert Nowinski of…