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Charles Heidelberger secures a patent for one of the four nucleotide bases of ribonucleic acid.

1957

The Story of The Patenting of Life
GEN
HISS

According to the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI): "Ribonucleic acid (abbreviated RNA) is a nucleic acid present in all living cells that has structural similarities to DNA... Some RNAs are involved in regulating gene expression... [and] certain viruses use RNA as their genomic material."

These early patents begin to raise questions about the medical ethics of "owning" genetic or organic material that has evolved naturally.