Gregor Johann Mendel (July 20, 1822July 20 is his birthday; often mentioned is July 22, the date of his baptism. http://www.mendel-museum.org/eng/1online/room1.htm Biography of Mendel at the Mendel Museum – January 6, 1884) was a Czech-German scientist often called the "father of modern genetics" for his study of the inheritance of traits in pea plants. Mendel showed that the inheritance of traits follows particular laws, which were later named after him. The significance of Mendel's work was not recognized until the turn of the 20th century.