Biology did just fine before the Darwin and the ToE came to the forefront.
For that matter, Mendel laid the very foundations of modern genetics without it.
The ToE is NOT pivotal in the study of modern biology.
It’s a side note, that needs modern biology to support IT.
And everything in the field of genetics that came after Mendel’s rudimentary experiments has supported evolution.
According to Dr. John H. Marburger III, director of the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy for President Bush “Evolution is a cornerstone of modern biology,” adding, “Much of the work supported by the National Institutes of Health depends heavily on the concepts of evolution.”
http://ncse.com/news/2004/03/white-house-science-advisor-evolution-cornerstone-modern-bio-00524
Nobody took much notice of Mendel’s laws until 16 years after his death as an esteemed abbot but unacknowledged scientist. His laws of inheritance were immensely important for Darwin’s theory,
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/ridley/a-z/Mendel_.asp