InGen – International Genetics Technologies (T/C)

Disambiguation Links – InGen – International Genetic Technologies (S/F) / InGen – International Genetic Technologies (CB-Topps)InGen – International Genetics Technologies (C/N)

International Genetics Technologies, also known by InGen Corporation, was a biotechnology startup firm founded by venture capitalist John Hammond and Stanford University geneticist Dr. Norman Atherton in 1979. The company relied on Japanese investors to accrue 850 million dollars in capital.

The company then set to collecting dinosaur fossils and amber in order to extract DNA from the source. After the death of Norman Atherton, Dr. Henry Wu, his student, replaced him as head of research and the genetics division.

By 1981, construction on Isla Sorna had begun and 1983 InGen had thirteen new patents in their possession. On April 22nd, 1985 the first Velociraptor was released into the wild of Sorna. Furthermore, in November 1985 InGen had begun fertilization of artificial ovum. By 1987, the first dinosaurs reached full size.

A decade after the founding of the company, in late August of 1989, a group of scientists were sent to Isla Nublar to inspect Jurassic Park, the facility used to exhibit their dinosaur recreations. During the course of their tour, the power was shut down and the dinosaurs escaped. Before the island could be restored and the people evacuated, several fatalities had occurred and Jurassic Park was forced to be shut down. Hammond was summoned before courts in the United States on October 3rd, 1989 following the incident on August 27th and InGen was forced into bankruptcy due to loss of funding.

In 1996, Hammond’s nephew assumes control of the company by vote of the board after an incident involving a family on the island. In 1997, the group of hunters hired by Hammond’s nephew brought a T. rex and its infant to San Diego, California, where it went on a rampage. The facts behind InGen were no longer a secret to the public.