The Wistar Institute was designated a National Cancer Institute Cancer Center
In 1972, The Wistar Institute was designated the first National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Center in basic research…
The University of California Radiation Laboratory (Livermore) was the first to use flow cytometry to sort chromosomes
In 1972, Livermore was the first to use flow cytometry to sort chromosomes. By the end of the…
Biology | Disease | Life Science History | NIH | Oncology | Therapeutics
President Nixon declared war on cancer creating the Cancer Centers Program of the National Cancer Institute
On Dec. 23, 1971, the National Cancer Act enacted by President Richard Nixon as part of the nation’s…
Human growth hormone was synthesized for the first time
On Jan. 6, 1971, research scientists at the University of California Medical Center announced they had synthesized the…
The prevalence of U.S. adult smoking was 11.5 percent in 2021
On May, 24, 2023, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that nearly 12 of every 100…
John Vane discovered how aspirin works
In 1971, John Vane discovered how aspirin worked, a finding that a daily low dose of aspirin prevents…
Biology | CDC | Diagnostics | Disease | Environmental | EPA | Neurology | Women's Health
The CDC investigated lead exposure and discovered its effects on children’s development
In 1971, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated lead exposure in El Paso, Texas,…
Biology | Diagnostics | Disease | Life Science History | Non-Profit Research | Oncology | Therapeutics
Cisplatin, a platinum-containing anticancer compound with unique biologic effects, entered clinical trials
In 1970, Cisplatin, a platinum-containing anticancer compound with unique biologic effects, entered clinical trials. On Dec. 19, 1978,…
Biotechnology | Diagnostics | Disease | Life Science History | Medicine | Non-Profit Research | Therapeutics
Immunologist Frank Dixon was appointed chair of the biomedical research operations at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation
In 1970, immunologist Frank Dixon was appointed chair of the biomedical research operations at the Scripps Clinic and…
Agriculture | Disease | Environmental | USDA
The Southern Corn Leaf Blight swept across the South
In 1970, the Southern Corn Leaf Blight (SCLB) sweeps across the South, destroying 15% of the U.S. corn…
Dr. Colin McLeod became OMRF’s first full-time president
In 1970, Dr. Colin McLeod became the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s (OMRF) first full-time president which marked a…
The University of Oklahoma’s first Health Sciences building was constructed in Oklahoma City
In 1970, University of Oklahoma’s first Health Sciences building was constructed in Oklahoma City. Today, this public university…
The Lion’s Eye Bank was established
In 1969, the Lion’s Eye Bank of Washington, Northern Idaho and Alaska was established at the University of…
Victor McKusick published “Mendelian Inheritance in Man”
In 1969, Victor McKusick, widely acknowledged as the father of medical genetics, spent his career studying the genetic…
Agriculture | Biology | Diagnostics | Disease | FDA
FDA began administering Sanitation Programs for milk, shellfish, food service, and interstate travel facilities
In 1969, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began administering Sanitation Programs for milk, shellfish, food service, and…
Agriculture | Biology | Diagnostics | Disease | Life Science History | Medicine | Non-Profit Research | Therapeutics
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center was founded
In 1969, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center was founded in Lubbock, Texas. In 1974 construction began on…
FDA formed the Drug Efficacy Study Implementation
In 1968, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formed the Drug Efficacy Study Implementation (DESI) to implement recommendations…
The CDC investigated a new highly infectious disease identified as Legionnaire’s disease
In 1968, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the first identified cases of Pontiac…
William Lakey performed Alberta’s first organ transplant at the University of Alberta Hospital
On Jan. 15, 1967, Dr. William Lakey performed Alberta’s first organ transplant, a kidney, at the University of…
Clara Claiborne Park published one of the first parent memoirs about raising a child with autism, “The Siege”
In 1967, Clara Claiborne Park, an American college English teacher, published one of the first parent memoirs about…
Biotechnology | Diagnostics | Disease | Life Science History | Non-Profit Research | Therapeutics | Women's Health
The construction of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies was completed
In 1967, the construction of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies was completed. the original Institute buildings were…
Stﾠ. Jude Children’s Hospital launched first major effort to understand progression of sickle cell disease
In 1966, a group of St. Jude patients were the first acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients to ever…
Kimishige Ishizaka, along with his wife Teruko Ishizaka, first described a new antibody isotype: immunoglobulin E (IgE)
In 1966, Kimishige (“Kimi”) Ishizaka, along with his wife Teruko (‘Terry’) Ishizaka, first described a new antibody isotype:…
At the height of the great plague in London more than 7,000 people died weekly
In September 1665, at the height of the great plague in London, more than 7,100 died in one…
The Hutch Award’s was created by MLB in honor of the late Fred Hutchinson who died of cancer one year earlier at the age of 45
In 1965, The Hutch Award’s was created in honor of the late Fred Hutchinson, the courageous and inspirational…
The National Society for Autistic Children was founded
In 1965, the National Society for Autistic Children (later renamed the Autism Society of America) was founded by…
Fred Hutchinson, namesake of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, succumbed to cancer
On Nov. 12, 1964, Fred Hutchinson, a standout pitcher at Seattle’s Franklin High School and ten year pitching…
FDA requested help in removing “X-33 Water Repellent” from the market
On Aug. 30, 1964, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested help in removing “X-33 Water Repellent”…
The Mini-1 was delivered to the University of Washington Hospital
On Jun. 1, 1964, the Mini-1 dialysis machine was delivered to the University of Washington (UW) Hospital and…
University of Mississippi Medical Center doctors transplanted chimpanzee heart into dying patient
On Jan. 16, 1964, a team of doctors led by Dr. James D. Hardy, professor of surgery and…