Valerie celebrates Women in Science. No 2: Rosalind Franklin

Next in the series to raise awareness of the important contributions of women in science is Rosalind Franklin.
Valerie said:
“ This month we celebrate the extraordinary work of Rosalind Franklin whose work led to the discovery of the structure of DNA.”
“Rosalind Franklin, born in 1920 in London, attended St Paul’s Girls’ School where she excelled in physics and chemistry. At the age of 15 she decided that she wanted to be a scientist and from here went on to study Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. Franklin gained her Phd at Cambridge and her research contributed to the fine molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal and graphite.”
“Franklin is best known for her work on the X-ray diffraction images of DNA whilst working in John Randall’s laboratory at Kings College in 1951. Her research focused on the structure of DNA and discovered the different forms of DNA. However, her colleague Maurice Wilkins, allegedly without Franklin’s permission, showed her work to Frances Crick who realised that it was the evidence needed to prove that the DNA molecule was a double stranded helix. Wilkins and Crick published this discovery and were later awarded the Nobel Prize, whilst Franklin whose work had had a meaningful role was not recognised. Following this, Franklin led pioneering work on the tobacco mosaic and polio viruses.”
Read Valerie’s EDM on Rosalind Franklin and Women in Science:

http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2013-14/838