Continuation paper

In 1854, Mendel started to research about how hereditary traits are transmitted in plants. He used pea plants in his experiments since the pea plants have numerous varieties, they grow quickly and the progeny can be reproduced quickly. Mendel cross-pollinated pea plants that had different and contrasting characteristics such as wrinkled with smooth, those with green seeds versus those with yellow seeds, or short versus tall plants (Tulchinsky&Varavikova, 2014). His experiments led to several significant discoveries. He discovered the law of segregation, which explains how dominant and recessive characteristics are passed from the parents to the progeny. The law of independent assortment was another important discovery that Mendel made. It explains how traits are passed independently from a parent to the progeny, and that all living things possesses hereditary traits. Mendel suggested that activities of heredity can statistically be accounted for and verified (Tulchinsky&Varavikova, 2014). This means that the genes or alleles responsible for specific traits are of a definite quantity or number.

Barriers and Issues during Mendel’s Time

Nature of Scientific Research

During Mendel’s time, biology was largely theoretical than practical. Researchers were more descriptive than quantitative. A lot of scientific work was done merely by theorizing (such as the cell theory) and qualitatively giving explanations without being guided by experiments. The technology at that time was good enough to support scientific research since microscopes were there. The classification system was structured in an ambiguous way with the use of only similarities in observable characteristics. The dichotomous tree was not fully understood, and some scientists did not accept it. Towards the end of the 18th Century, a scientist called Lamarck proposed a theory of species transmutation that was largely based on acquired characteristics (Porter, 2005). At that time, the Darwinian theory of natural selection provided no explanation for or analysis of the heredity mechanism. Darwin was vague on the inheritance issue, and applied more of Lamarck’s principles of transmutation (Porter, 2005). Scientists believed that natural selection eliminated weak organisms whereas environmentally acquired characteristics were responsible for progeny that were fit for survival (Porter, 2005). Others believed in the principles of fluids and vapors, in which fluids from all parts of the human body were transferred to the offspring, leading to resemblance of a parent and the offspring.

Political and Socioeconomic Situation

Mendel was raised in a poor family that could barely afford his full education. He was sometimes forced to teach so as to afford his University education (Tulchinsky&Varavikova, 2014). His parents had a farm which to a great extent helped Mendel successfully perform his experiments. He was raised as a monk and largely lived a righteous life in which he had good relationship with the society. Mendel discovered that the present theories and research did not explain variations or how traits are passed from parents to the progeny, prompting him to study the mechanism of inheritance. The biggest barrier to Mendel’s work was his fellow researchers who rubbished his work. Some of his colleagues especially the monks supported him, but most other researchers did not welcome his ideas, which they poorly understood. For instance, when Mendel sent a copy of his findings to Charles Darwin, Charles dismissed the work, which he never even read (Tulchinsky&Varavikova, 2014). Politicians at that time favored Darwin’s work, which explains why Mendel’s work was not publicized or appreciated, and was referred to much later after his death despite him having handed it over to major stakeholders such as researchers, libraries, and academic institutions (Tulchinsky&Varavikova, 2014). He was vilified, accused of deception, and repudiated.

How Mendel Overcame Adversities

Socioeconomic Support

Since Mendel came from a poor socioeconomic background, he needed to overcome the challenges so as he could succeed in his ambitions. His parents raised his high school fees, which was a struggle. The Augustinian monastery in which Mendel was consecrated as a monk offered to pay his University education (Tulchinsky&Varavikova, 2014). This opportunity enabled Mendel to pursue his studies and acquire enough knowledge that would later be useful in doing his research. Besides this sponsorship, he also worked as a teacher to raise money that enabled him to afford the tuition fees for his studies. The monastery in which Mendel lived as a monk was a regional cultural center. It greatly presented research and training opportunities for him, in which he accessed experimental facilities and the resourceful library (Tulchinsky&Varavikova, 2014).

Professional Support

After Mendel completed his botanical studies in Vienna University, where he was sponsored by the Monastery, he returned to the Monastery where he started conducting experiments about what he had learnt in Vienna. Against all resistance, the Monastery offered him all the equipment he needed, including the space where he extensively performed his experiments. Although most researchers then did not welcome his ideas of inheritance, Mendel presented his work to major stakeholders for review, some of whom positively reviewed and analyzed his work. When Mendel was made an abbot, he was forced to stop his research work. However, he had a team of people who he worked closely with, and others appreciated his work. For instance, some researchers such as Francis Galton who studied continuous variation, and Adams who researched about congenital disorders, appreciated Mendel’s work and continued from where he left (Bulmer, 2003).

Importance of Mendelian Genetics

During Mendelian time, little was known about the mechanism of heredity. Mendel’s findings provided accurate information about how traits are transmitted from the parent to the progeny. His discovery enabled people to understand the Darwinian principle of natural selection, which was vague and offered no explanation about how traits are transmitted (Tulchinsky&Varavikova, 2014). Mendel is known as the father of genetics. His experiments provided a foundation on which researchers could analyze and understand the nature and consequences of heredity. From Mendel’s findings, the modern genetics researchers are able to make conclusions about the origin of diseases or hereditary characteristics (Smith &Ebrahim, 2003).

Conclusion

Mendel was a biological researcher who lived in the current Czech Republic where he was born in 1822 and died in 1884. Although he was from a poor family, he successfully studied up to the university. His University education was sponsored by the monastery where he was made an abbot. The monastery supported his work, by providing him with research equipment. Mendel developed the law of segregation and independent assortment, which helped the researches of his time understand other principles such as the Darwinian’s principle of natural selection. Today, Mendel’s works still guide genetics researchers to understand the mechanism of inheritance and variations among progenies from the same parent.

References

Porter, D. (2005). Health, Civilization and the State: A History of Public Health from Ancient to Modern Times. New York: Routledge.

Smith, D. G., &Ebrahim, S. (2003). ‘Mendelian randomization’: can genetic epidemiology contribute to understanding environmental determinants of disease? International journal of epidemiology, 32(1), 1-22.

Tulchinsky, T. H., & Bulmer, M. G. (2003). Francis Galton: pioneer of heredity and biometry. Baltimore: JHU Press.

Varavikova, E. A. (2014). The new public health. Waltham: Academic Press.