The Central Dogma of molecular biology is one of the most fundamental principles in modern biology. It was first articulated by Francis Crick—British molecular biologist, physicist, and neuroscientist.

In 1956, Crick wrote a manuscript titled "Ideas on Protein Synthesis." The second sentence introduced "The Central Dogma": "Once information has passed into protein, it cannot get out again." A hand-drawn diagram showed DNA directing DNA, DNA directing RNA, and DNA possibly directing protein; RNA possibly directing RNA or DNA; and RNA directing protein—but protein information could not flow back to DNA or RNA.

In 1957, Crick formally proposed the Central Dogma: genetic information flows from DNA → DNA (replication), DNA → RNA (transcription), and RNA → protein (translation)—with proteins assisting in the first two processes.

In 1970, Crick revised the Dogma to include RNA replication (RNA → RNA) and reverse transcription (RNA → DNA)—discoveries made in 1965 and 1970. The Dogma has since been refined through hypothesis and experimentation, but Crick's key insight remains: once information enters protein, it cannot alter DNA sequence. Crick, Watson, and Wilkins received the 1962 Nobel Prize for discovering DNA's molecular structure.