After General Electric researcher Anand Chakrabarty engineered a bacterium capable of breaking down crude oil, the resulting Supreme Court case, Diamond v. Chakrabarty (1980), ruled that genetically modified living organisms could be patented under American law. The landmark decision established the legal foundation for the modern biotechnology industry by allowing inventors and companies to secure intellectual property rights over engineered life forms. It spurred investment, innovation, and commercialization across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture, helping establish the United States as the global leader in biotech research and entrepreneurship.
