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…
Diagnostics | Disease | Pharmaceutical | Therapeutics | USDA | Veterinary
Schering-Plough Animal Health introduced Intra-Trac vaccines for kennel cough in dogs
In 1980, Schering-Plough Animal Health introduced Intra-Trac vaccines for kennel cough in dogs. For years, Iowa State University…
Serpata Therapeutics was founded, originally as AVI BioPharma
In 1980, Sarepta Therapeutics was founded originally as AVI BioPharma. Today, Sarepta is on an urgent mission: engineer…
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…
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…
The Nobel Laureate in Chemistry was awarded jointly to Frederick Sanger, Walter Gilbert and to Paul Berg for gene cloning
In 1980, the Nobel Laureate in Chemistry was awarded jointly to Frederick Sanger and Walter Gilbert for “for…
Autism appeared for the first time as a diagnosis in the third edition of the DSM III Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
In 1980, autism appeared for the first time as a diagnosis in the third edition of the DSM…
CDC | Disease | Therapeutics
The CDC reported on the association of Reye Syndrome with aspirin use
In 1980, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on the association of Reye Syndrome…
The Holden Cancer Center at the University of Iowa was established
In 1980, The Holden Cancer Center at University of Iowa was founded with Richard L. DeGowin, M.D. appointed…
The first use of artificial blood in a patient takes place at the University of Minnesota Hospital
On Nov. 20, 1979, Dr. Robert Anderson from the University Hospital injected Fluosol, a blood substitute developed in…
Ground was broken for the USC Kenneth Norris Jr. Cancer Hospital and Research Institute
On May 10, 1979, ground was broken for the new site of the Kenneth Norris Jr. Cancer Research…
CDC | Diagnostics | Disease | Environmental | EPA | Life Science History | Oncology | Radiology | Therapeutics
The CDC investigated health effects related to the Three-Mile Island nuclear accident
On Mar. 28, 1979, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated health effects related to…
Allan Cormack of Tufts University and Godfrey Hounsfield of EMI Laboratories were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology
In 1979, South African-born physicist Allan Cormack of Tufts University and British engineer Godfrey Hounsfield of EMI Laboratories…
Early concern over the dangers of recombinant DNA has waned and NIH guidelines were relaxed
In 1979, early concern over the dangers of recombinant DNA has waned and the National Institutes of Health…
Stanford Medicine researchers discovered dynorphin, a brain chemical 200 times more powerful than morphine
On Dec. 21, 1979, Stanford Medicine pharmacologist Avram Goldstein announced the discovery of dynorphin – a chemical in…
Joan Steitz discovered snRNPs
In 1979, Joan Steitz discovered snRNPs, RNA-protein complexes in the cell’s nucleus that perform a crucial step in…
First insulin pump for diabetes was developed
In 1979, Dr. Robert Sherwin and Dr. William Tamborlane from Yale University announced they had developed an insulin…
Medtronic established a Heart Valves division
In 1979, Medtronic established a Heart Valves division and introduced the Medtronic Hall mechanical heart valve. This prosthetic…
Dr. Norman H Cromwell became acting director of the Eppley Cancer Center
In 1979, Dr. Norman H. Cromwell of the Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, became acting director of…
Dr. William Thurman became head of OMRF
In 1979, Dr. William Thurman took the helm of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) and helped establish…
Centocor was founded
In 1979, Centocor was founded – one of the nation’s first biotechnology companies best known for developing Remicade…
Modified radical mastectomy replaced radical mastectomy for breast cancer
In 1979, Modified radical mastectomy replaced radical mastectomy for breast cancer. The standard of care for patients with…
Biology | Diagnostics | Disease | FDA | Life Science History | Non-Profit Research | Oncology | Therapeutics
FDA approved Cisplatin, a platinum-containing anticancer compound
On Dec. 19, 1978, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved cisplatin (Platinol) for use in combination…
The first human testing of a biological therapy was conducted (alpha-interferon)
On Nov. 9, 1978, the first human testing of a biological therapy was conducted (alpha-interferon). The Cancer Research…
The University of Washington Health Sciences Building was renamed the Magnuson Health Sciences Center
On Oct. 3, 1978, the University of Washington Health Sciences Building was renamed the Magnuson Health Sciences Center…
Genentech successfully cloned the gene encoding human insulin in Escherichia coli bacteria
On Sept. 6, 1978, Genentech, the most successful of the new biotech start-up companies, announced that scientists at…