Rosalind Elsie Franklin (1920–1958) was a British biophysicist whose pioneering work in X-ray diffraction techniques played a crucial role in the discovery of the structure of DNA. Born in London, Franklin excelled academically and earned her Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Cambridge University. She then joined the staff at King's College London, where she conducted research on the molecular structure of DNA using X-ray crystallography.
Franklin's X-ray diffraction images of DNA, particularly Photo 51, provided critical evidence that DNA molecules have a helical structure. Despite her significant contributions, Franklin's work was undervalued and overshadowed by other scientists, notably James Watson and Francis Crick, who used her data without her consent to propose the double helix structure of DNA, for which they were later awarded the Nobel Prize.
Tragically, Franklin's life and career were cut short when she died of ovarian cancer at the age of 37. However, her legacy as a brilliant scientist and her contributions to the understanding of DNA structure have since been recognized and celebrated, solidifying her place as a key figure in the history of molecular biology.
Rosalind Elsie Franklin (1920–1958) was a British biophysicist whose pioneering work in X-ray diffraction techniques played a crucial role in the discovery of the structure of DNA. Born in London, Franklin excelled academically and earned her Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Cambridge University. She then joined the staff at King's College London, where she conducted research on the molecular structure of DNA using X-ray crystallography.
Franklin's X-ray diffraction images of DNA, particularly Photo 51, provided critical evidence that DNA molecules have a helical structure. Despite her significant contributions, Franklin's work was undervalued and overshadowed by other scientists, notably James Watson and Francis Crick, who used her data without her consent to propose the double helix structure of DNA, for which they were later awarded the Nobel Prize.
Tragically, Franklin's life and career were cut short when she died of ovarian cancer at the age of 37. However, her legacy as a brilliant scientist and her contributions to the understanding of DNA structure have since been recognized and celebrated, solidifying her place as a key figure in the history of molecular biology.
