Rosalind Franklin revolutionized the way we look at and interpret DNA today. Thanks to her contribution, it is much easier for scientists to develop medicines and diagnose genetic diseases. Today, we will learn more about her and her important discoveries!
background:
Rosalind Franklin was born in London in 1920. She discovered her passion for science early on, and upon finishing high school, she won a scholarship to the University of Cambridge to study chemistry. At the time, there were few opportunities for women to go into STEM. In Franklin's time, around the early 1900s, only 19% of women had earned a bachelor's degree. This makes Franklin’s accomplishment no easy feat!
DNA discovery:
In 1951, Franklin joined King’s College and used various X-ray techniques to help determine the structure of and image DNA. She successfully took a picture of DNA’s structure in 1952, and it required about 100 hours to create the image. However, before she could properly analyze her photo, Wilkins, her colleague, showed the photo to Watson and Crick, two other scientists trying to figure out the structure of DNA. They used Franklin’s photograph to back up their model and gave her minimal credit in their research paper. Shortly after the research papers of both Franklin and Watson and Crick were published, Franklin decided to leave King's College due to conflicts with her colleagues. They believed, because she was a woman, she was not as competent as her male counterparts.
Later life:
After leaving King's college, Rosalind Franklin started her own research facility to study Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV), where she and her team of scientists found two variants of the disease. Unfortunately, in 1958, Rosalind Franklin died of ovarian cancer. Franklin defied the expectations of the people around her, and her contributions to genetics and other fields of science will go down in history as some of the most important discoveries of all time.
Photo 51
Photo 51’s Significance:
Franklin’s photo (pictured above) had many long term impacts. Firstly, Photo 51 has had a massive impact on genetic studies. Now that we know the structure of DNA, it is much easier for us to diagnose and cure genetic conditions! A lot of genetic disorders occur due to a change in the structure of DNA, so it is extremely helpful to know what it looks like in normal conditions. Photo 51 also helped with the advancement of biotechnology, including both analysis techniques and performing genetic modifications. Now, we are able to modify DNA to change the outcome of a product. With this advancement, we are able to change the way things look, from vegetables to human babies! This seemingly small picture has transformed our society today. It is important to remember that no discovery is too small!
““In my view, all that is necessary for faith is the belief that by doing our best we shall succeed in our aims: the improvement of mankind.” ”
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