Franklin graduated in 1941 with a degree in natural sciences from Newnham College, Cambridge, and then enrolled for a PhD in physical chemistry under Ronald George Wreyford Norrish, the 1920 Chair of Physical Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. Disappointed by Norrish's lack of enthusiasm, she took up a research position under the British Coal Utilisation Research Association (BCURA) in 1942. The research on coal helped Franklin earn a PhD from Cambridge in 1945. Moving to Paris in 1947 as a chercheur (postdoctoral researcher) under Jacques Mering at the Laboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de l'État, she became an accomplished X-ray crystallographer. After joining King's College London in 1951 as a research associate, Franklin discovered some key properties of DNA, which eventually facilitated the correct description of the double helix structure of DNA. Owing to disagreement with her director, John Randall, and her colleague Maurice Wilkins, Franklin moved to Birkbeck College in 1953.
Life and Career
Franklin is best known for her work on the X-ray diffraction images of DNA while at King's College London, particularly Photo 51, taken by her student Raymond Gosling, which led to the discovery of the DNA double helix for which Francis Crick, James Watson, and Maurice Wilkins shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962. While Gosling actually took the famous Photo 51, Wilkins showed it to Watson without Franklin's permission.
Working under John Desmond Bernal, Franklin led pioneering work at Birkbeck on the molecular structures of viruses. On the day before she was to unveil the structure of tobacco mosaic virus at an international fair in Brussels, Franklin died of ovarian cancer at age 37 in 1958. Her team member Aaron Klug continued her research, winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1982.
Key Facts
- Born: July 25, 1920 in Notting Hill, London, England, UK
- Died: 1958
- Field: Science
Legacy and Impact
The influence of Rosalind Franklin extends far beyond her own lifetime. She fundamentally shaped our understanding of the natural world, and her discoveries and theories remain foundational to this day.
Though she passed away in 1958, her ideas continue to be studied, debated, and built upon by scholars and practitioners worldwide.
Rosalind Franklin remains one of the most celebrated minds to emerge from England, a testament to the rich intellectual heritage of the region.
Notable Geniuses from England
England has produced many remarkable minds. Alongside Rosalind Franklin:
View all geniuses from England →
Discover more brilliant minds in Science
Explore Science GeniusesRelated Articles
Explore More
Read the full profile of Rosalind Franklin
View Rosalind Franklin's Profile →