LONDON (AP) — Ian Wilmut, the cloning pioneer whose work was critical to the creation of Dolly the Sheep in 1996, has died at age 79. While Dolly's creation was heralded as a revolution by some scientists, it unnerved many, with critics calling such experiments unethical. Wilmut, a trained embryologist, later focused on using cloning techniques to make stem cells that could be used in regenerative medicine. Whitelaw described Wilmut as a “titan” of science and said his work in Dolly's creation transformed scientific thinking at the time. He said the legacy of Wilmut's work in cloning Dolly continues to be seen.

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Persons: Ian Wilmut, Dolly, Wilmut, Dolly Parton, Bill Clinton, Sir Ian Wilmut, Bruce Whitelaw, Whitelaw, ” Organizations: University of Edinburgh, biosciences, Roslin Locations: Scotland