Rosalind Franklin
Rosalind Franklin was a British biophysicist and X-ray crystallographer whose work was critical in the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, and viruses. Here are some key points about her life and contributions:
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Birth and Education: Born on July 25, 1920, in London, England, Franklin studied at Newnham College, Cambridge, where she earned a degree in chemistry. She later pursued a PhD in physical chemistry from Cambridge in 1945.
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Early Career: After her PhD, Franklin worked at the British Coal Utilization Research Association, where she studied the porosity of coal using X-ray diffraction techniques.
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King's College London: In 1951, Franklin joined the King's College London to work on the structure of DNA. Here, she produced X-ray diffraction images of DNA, most notably Photo 51, which provided crucial evidence for the helical structure of DNA.
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Contribution to DNA Structure: Although her work was pivotal, Franklin did not share in the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, which was awarded to James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins for their model of DNA. This has been a point of much discussion and controversy regarding recognition of her contributions.
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Work on Viruses: After leaving King's College, Franklin moved to Birkbeck College, where she continued her research on the structure of viruses. Her work on the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was groundbreaking, providing insights into the structure of viruses.
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Death: Franklin died on April 16, 1958, at the age of 37 from ovarian cancer, which was diagnosed in 1956. Her death came before the full recognition of her contributions to molecular biology.
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Legacy: Franklin's work has been posthumously recognized for its significance. Her contributions were crucial in the development of molecular biology. In 2021, the Royal Society established the Rosalind Franklin Medal and Lecture in her honor.
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