Gregor Mendel: The Father of Modern Genetics

Early Life and Education Gregor Johann Mendel was born on July 20, 1822, in Heinzendorf, Silesia, in the Austrian Empire (now Hynčice, Czech Republic). Raised in a farming family, Mendel developed an early interest in the natural sciences. Recognizing his academic potential, his family supported his education, leading him to study at the Philosophical Institute in Olomouc and later at the University of Vienna, where he focused on physics and mathematics. In 1843, Mendel joined the Augustinian monastery in Brünn (now Brno), adopting the name Gregor. The monastery provided him with the resources and environment to pursue his scientific inquiries.