Ian Wilmut, the scientist who created first cloned mammal Dolly the Sheep, passes away

British scientist Ian Wilmut, whose work was central to the creation of Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal to be cloned, has died at the age of 79. The news of his death was announced by University of Edinburgh on Monday (September 11). Wilmut worked at the university.

He died on Sunday. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease many years ago.

Wilmut, along with Keith Campbell animal sciences research institute in Scotland shot to worldwide fame when creation of Dolly the Sheep generated news headlines and ethical debates in the year 1996.

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"He led efforts to develop cloning, or nuclear transfer, techniques that could be used to make genetically modified sheep. It was these efforts which led to the births of Megan and Morag in 1995 and Dolly in 1996," the university said in a statement.

Dolly, named after country singer Dolly Parton, was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell, using a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).

The process involved taking a sheep egg, removal of its DNA and its replacement with DNA from a frozen udder cell of a sheep that died years before. The egg was then zapped with electricity to make it grow like a fertilised embryo. No sperm was required.

The breakthrough, though scientifically fascinating, started ethical debate and triggered fears of human cloning or producing copies of living or dead people. Mainstream scientists have ruled this out as being far too dangerous.

Wilmut was born near Stratford-upon-Avon. He attended University of Nottingham. He initially planned to study agriculture before switching to animal science.

He moved to University of Edinburgh in 2005 and retired in 2012. He received a knighthood in 2008.

Peter Mathieson, the vice-chancellor of Edinburgh University, hailed Wilmut as "a titan of the scientific world" whose work cloning Dolly "transformed scientific thinking at the time".

"This breakthrough continues to fuel many of the advances that have been made in the field of regenerative medicine that we see today," he said in a statement.

Bruce Whitelaw, the current head of the Roslin Institute, described Wilmut's passing as "sad news".

"Science has lost a household name," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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