Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Elsie Franklin (25 July 1920 – 16 April 1958) was an English chemist and X-ray crystallographer whose work was central to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (ribonucleic acid), viruses, coal, and graphite. Although her works on coal and viruses were appreciated in her lifetime, her contributions to the discovery of the structure of DNA were largely recognised posthumously. Born in London to a Jewish family, Franklin was educated at St Paul's Girls' School before studying natural sciences at Newnham College, Cambridge. After earning her PhD from Cambridge University, she worked in Paris at the Laboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de l'État, where she became an accomplished X-ray crystallographer. In 1951, Franklin moved to King's College London, where she worked on X-ray diffraction studies, crucial in deciphering the helical structure of DNA. Her photographs of DNA, including Photograph 51, taken by her student Raymond Gosling, were critical in identifying the double helix structure of DNA. However, her contributions were not fully acknowledged during her lifetime, and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962 was awarded to Francis Crick, James Watson, and Maurice Wilkins without mention of her critical work. Franklin's research at Birkbeck College on the tobacco mosaic virus and the polio virus added significant knowledge to the field of virology. Her team provided the first clear X-ray images of the RNA that viruses use to replicate themselves, furthering the understanding of viral life cycles and how viruses invade host organisms. Rosalind Franklin died in 1958 at the age of 37 from ovarian cancer, likely caused by her exposure to high levels of X-ray radiation during her work. Despite her early death, Franklin's research has had a lasting impact on the fields of chemistry, virology, and genetics. Her story has been the subject of numerous articles, books, and films, highlighting her contributions to science and the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated field.

Early Life and Education

Rosalind Franklin was born on 25 July 1920 in Notting Hill, London, into a prominent Jewish family. She showed an early interest in science and was encouraged by her family to pursue her education. Franklin attended St Paul's Girls' School, one of the few girls' schools in London that taught physics and chemistry. In 1938, she went on to study natural sciences at Newnham College, Cambridge, where she excelled in her studies.

Career

After completing her studies at Cambridge, Franklin worked as a research associate in the Physical Chemistry Laboratory at Cambridge University. She then moved to Paris, where she honed her skills in X-ray crystallography at the Laboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de l'État. In 1951, Franklin returned to England and joined the Biophysics Unit at King's College London. It was here that she made her significant contributions to understanding the structure of DNA.

Legacy

Rosalind Franklin's work laid the foundation for modern genetics and molecular biology. Her meticulous approach to X-ray crystallography and her pioneering photographs of DNA have earned her posthumous recognition as a key figure in the discovery of the DNA double helix. Today, Franklin is celebrated for her scientific achievements and is seen as a role model for women in science.