In their 1953 paper, Watson and Crick state that they had been “stimulated by a knowledge of the general nature of the unpublished experimental results and ideas of Dr. M. H. F. Wilkins, Dr. R. E. Franklin and their co-workers at King’s College, London.” That oblique acknowledgment misrepresented Franklin’s role and, whatever its intention, left most people with the impression that her work mainly served to confirm that of Watson and Crick. F. H. Portugal, J. S. Cohen, A Century of DNA: A History of the Discovery of the Structure and Function of the Genetic Substance. It was this photo, alongside her precise analysis of the x-ray diffraction data, that inspired Crick and Watson to move away from their initial idea of a three-helix molecule and make the necessary calculations to develop the double helix model of the DNA strand we now know. The value the discovery of the double helix, and of Franklin’s contributions to that, will last long into the future. B. Maddox, Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA. In Watson’s book, Rosalind Franklin is known only as the bossy, and unfeminine Rosy. 9. A Scientist from a Young Age In her brief life, Dr. Franklin helped lay the groundwork for modern structural virology, produced one of the most famous images of DNA, and even completed a PhD on pores in graphite. She welcomes responses and inquiries about issues pertaining to the story of Rosalind Franklin and DNA structure. They hired her into a senior position based on her expertise. But her full story is much richer. When Rosalind headed for the laboratory, she shed almost every vestige of lightheartedness as she focused exclusively on her work. Indeed, by 15, Franklin knew that she wanted to be a scientist, in spite of her father actively discouraging her due to the difficulties of women having such a career at the time. Her numerous lifelong friends thought her bright, fascinating, witty, and fun. In a 1951 incident, Franklin was furious that a conference acquaintance planned on publishing an idea of hers without giving proper acknowledgment. The man who later became her major detractor, Watson, had recently detected a helical structure in TMV, but Franklin was a far more proficient experimenter. 15. Still, Rosalind Franklin just kept on doing her job ever so diligently. With those data, Franklin proposed a double-helix, The resolution of the B-form photograph #51 shown in figure, (Courtesy of the Norman Collection on the History of Molecular Biology in Novato, Calif.), The cylindrical Patterson map calculations that Franklin applied to the A-form of, (Courtesy of Anne Sayre and Jenifer Franklin Glynn. 12. In 1962, James Watson, then at Harvard University, and Cambridge University’s Francis Crick stood next to Maurice Wilkins from King’s College, London, to receive the Nobel, From 1942 to 1946, Franklin did war-related, Franklin made many friends in the Paris laboratory and often hiked with them on weekends. These figures are quoted in Franklin’s 1952 Medical Research Council report and her unpublished 17 March 1953 draft paper. Franklin had in fact been working with Gosling on their own double-helix model but by the time they published their findings in July 1953, Crick and Watson had already stunned the science world. See also ref. The drier crystalline A form contains about 20% water by weight and is optimally produced at about 75% relative humidity. The knowledge of the DNA structure has not only totally transformed our understanding of how our bodies work but is revolutionizing how we combat chronic illnesses. In 1954, Crick and Watson published a detailed methods paper in the, Another lost opportunity for acknowledging Franklin occurred during the 1962 Nobel, Jerry Donohue, the chemist who had insisted that James Watson try modeling, Maurice Wilkins was frustrated because he, understandably, had expected to be collaborating with Watson and Crick. After university, Franklin worked in several scientific research positions, but perhaps the most important was in 1947 when she became an X-ray crystallography researcher in Paris. Unfortunately, it was not a long-lasting friendship, Franklin died of ovarian cancer in 1958 at the tragically young age of 37. H. R. Wilson, Trends Biochem. Although she made essential contributions toward elucidating the structure of DNA, Rosalind Franklin is known to many only as seen through the distorting lens of James Watson’s book, The Double Helix. See also ref. Cropped image of Rosalind Franklin with microscope in 1955. The method has been used to study the structure of both inorganic and organic materials and is even used today in developing new active ingredients. She preferred to live on her own modest salary and frustrated her parents by continually refusing to accept money from them. That became especially important when she created a “death of the helix” funeral invitation as a joke after obtaining some data indicating that A-form, Whereas Franklin was quick, intense, assertive, and directly confrontational, Wilkins was exceedingly shy, indirect, and slowly calculating to the point of appearing plodding. As celebrations marking the 100 birthday of Rosalind Franklin, the scientist who was instrumental in the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA, take place this year, her niece, Rosalind … The molecule that is the basis for heredity, DNA, contains the patterns for constructing proteins in the body, including the various enzymes. With her experience in crystallography, Franklin returned to England in 1951 to take up a scholarship at King’s College, London. To sign up for alerts, please log in first. Although she made essential contributions toward elucidating the structure of DNA, Rosalind Franklin is known to many only as seen through the distorting lens of James Watson's book, The Double Helix. It has to be one of the greatest understatements in the history of scientific writing. She was exceedingly direct, intent, and serious, with the tendency to leap into passionate debate. The original 5 March 1976 letter is in the Anne Sayre Collection of the Microbiological Society Archives at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Wilkins had shared ‘Photo 51’ while Franklin’s detailed observations were included in an informal report given to a colleague of Crick and Watson’s at Cambridge University. 10. Many people recall that the structure of the DNA molecule has the shape of a double helix. Rosalind Franklin will never win a Nobel Prize, but she is, at long last, getting the recognition that is her due. Lynne Elkin ( lelkin@csuhayward.edu) is a professor of biological sciences at … Furthermore, in what amounted almost to social heresy in England, en route to her laboratory she typically bypassed the morning coffeepot and afternoon tea in favor of a direct assault on her work. In his memoir, The Double Helix, Watson acknowledged to have used Franklin’s data without her permission. The original letter is in the Anne Sayre Collection of the Microbiological Society Archives at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. It has earned both critical and public praise, along with continuing controversy about credit for the Nobel award and attitudes towards female scientists at the time of the discovery. Franklin was considered by King’s colleagues to be “too French” in her dress, in her intellectual interests, and in her temperament. 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