Recombinant DNA

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Who

Stanley N. Cohen, an American Jewish geneticist, with Herbert Boyer; foundational work also by Paul Berg, an American Jew.

When

1972–1973

Where

California, USA

Recombinant DNA technology, developed in the early 1970s, allows genes to be cut and pasted between organisms and gave rise to modern biotechnology, including synthetic insulin. Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer performed the landmark 1973 experiment, and Paul Berg — like Cohen, an American Jew — pioneered the underlying gene-splicing methods, earning a Nobel Prize.

Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.