Rosalind Franklin – Chemist and Pioneer in DNA Research:
Early Life and Education:
Rosalind Elsie Franklin was born on July 25, 1920, in London, England, into a prominent and intellectually inclined family. Her father, Ellis Franklin, was an investment banker, and her mother, Muriel Waley Franklin, was an accomplished scholar in her own right. Rosalind showed an early interest in science, particularly in the natural world.
Franklin attended the Lindores School for Girls and later studied at St Paul’s Girls’ School. In 1938, she entered Newnham College, Cambridge, where she studied physical chemistry. Her academic prowess became evident as she excelled in her studies, earning a research scholarship.
Contribution to World War II Efforts:
During World War II, Franklin interrupted her doctoral studies to contribute to the war effort. She worked on projects related to coal and rubber at the British Coal Utilisation Research Association and later at the Laboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de l’État in Paris.
Ph.D. and Early Research Career:
After the war, Franklin completed her Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge in 1945 under the supervision of Ronald Norrish. Her doctoral work focused on the porosity of coal and its applications. She then went on to work as a research associate at the Laboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de l’État in Paris.
In 1951, Franklin returned to London to join the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) Biophysical Chemistry Unit at King’s College. There, she began her groundbreaking work on the structure of DNA and RNA.
DNA Research at King’s College:
Franklin’s most notable work took place at King’s College, where she used X-ray diffraction techniques to study the structure of DNA fibers. Her famous Photo 51, an X-ray image of DNA, provided crucial information about the helical structure of DNA.
Despite her significant contributions, Franklin faced challenges, including strained relationships with some colleagues. Her work laid the foundation for the discovery of the DNA double helix but was not fully recognized during her lifetime.
Move to Birkbeck College:
In 1953, Franklin left King’s College and moved to Birkbeck College, where she continued her research on the molecular structures of viruses and coal. Her work at Birkbeck expanded into the study of the tobacco mosaic virus.
Legacy and Recognition:
Rosalind Franklin’s contributions to the understanding of DNA and viruses were substantial, but her role in the discovery of the DNA double helix was overshadowed during her lifetime. James Watson and Francis Crick, with the help of Maurice Wilkins (Franklin’s colleague at King’s College), were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962 for their work on the DNA structure.
Tragically, Rosalind Franklin passed away on April 16, 1958, at the age of 37, due to ovarian cancer. Posthumously, her contributions to science have received increased recognition, and she is acknowledged as a pioneering figure in the field of molecular biology. The significance of her work and the challenges she faced as a woman in science have been widely acknowledged in subsequent years.
