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DNA is amazing stuff one molecule with a
4-letter code that
holds the instructions
for every living thing in
Earth’s history. Today,
DNA can help us solve
a crime or diagnose
a disease - but not
long ago, nobody
knew it existed. This
is the story of the
first known person
to see DNA, Friedrich
Miescher.
Friedrich Miescher: The First Person To See DNA
Friedrich Miescher is a quiet, shy
boy who loves music and art.
1854
Father, I think I might
like to be a musician.
Well, I’m off
to start my
medical studies.
I know
you’ll make
us proud,
son.
Take care
of yourself,
dear.
Nonsense, Friedrich. You will be a
scientist. It is the legacy of our family!
1861
He will survive, but the
fever has damaged
his hearing.
While
Miescher
is studying
medicine, he
contracts
typhoid fever.
1865
How can I practice
medicine now?
But of
course...
I’ll go
into
research!
It’s no
use! I’ll
never be
a doctor!
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© Copyright 2015
Life Sciences Foundation
All rights reserved
Friedrich joins
the laboratory
of Felix HoppeSeyler, one of the
first scientists to
focus on molecular
biology and
biochemistry. The
laboratory is in
the cellar of the
castle at Tubingen,
Germany.
1868
Ho
I have
chosen you
as my only
student.
Together we
will unravel
the mysteries
of the life of
cells!
ppe-Seyler
I know that chemistry can
answer those questions, and I’m
excited to work with you, sir!
These independent cells hold the key...
But how will we get enough to study?
I
I have
have
an idea!
an
idea!
Why does
he want those
used bandages?
The pus in these
bandages is filled
with white blood
cells, which can
teach us how cells
work!
Look at
this, sir!
1869
No, it’s another
substance, completely
unknown to science!
biotechhistory.org
Is it another
protein?
Let’s call it
nuclein!
Today, ‘nuclein’ is called
DNA. Miescher was
fascinated by it and
continued to work on it
for the rest of his career.
But he never knew how
important it was. Most
scientists thought that
proteins provided
instructions to make living
things. It wasn’t until 1952,
more than 80 years after
Miescher’s experiments,
that scientists determined
that DNA was the
instruction book for life.
© Copyright 2015
Life Sciences Foundation
All rights reserved