DNA
The real story
Rosalind Franklin
“The dark lady of DNA”
Rosalind Franklin
Born in London, England July 25,1920
 Graduated from Newnham College
1941
 Earned a doctorate in physical
chemistry from Cambridge University
1945
 Died in London, England April 16, 1958
of ovarian cancer

From 1947-1950 Franklin learned the
technique of X-ray diffraction
 1950 began work at Kings College
 1951-1953 was Rosalind’s prime time
for working on the DNA project
 Took the famous photograph entitled
photo 51

“Photo 51”
 This photograph
which looks like an
X showed that DNA
was actually in the
shape of a helix

Franklin was the first to discover that
DNA was a helical molecule
 First to extract very fine DNA fibers and
work with them
 Would only publish her work when she
felt she had all the evidence and data to
support her theory

Controversy
The main controversy was not the
discovery of what DNA looked like or
what it was made of
 The real controversy was WHO actually
discovered what DNA was shaped like
and what it looked like

At the time Rosalind was in school it
was inappropriate for a woman to have
any education at the college level or
work with men in the college
 She was partnered with Maurice Wilkins
who was in close relation with Francis
Crick and James Watson




Maurice Wilkins would
secretly go through
Rosalind’s work and
papers which lead to
the discovery that DNA
was helical and what it
was made of.
Wilkins would later
show how much he
hated working with a
woman
This is a letter that
Wilkins wrote Crick
“I think you will be interested
to know that our dark lady
leaves us next week…I am
now reasonably clear of
other commitments and have
started up a general
offensive on Nature’s secret
strongholds…At least the
decks are clear and we can
put all hands to the pumps!”
It won’t be long now.
Regards to all
Yours ever
M
After Wilkins showed Franklins work to
Watson a few papers were almost
immediately published.
These papers included Franklins x-ray
diffraction pictures, her work, and her
discoveries yet there was only one
sentence in the papers that mentioned her.

When the papers were published not much
was said except that it was a break through
for the science world

Franklin never had a clue that her work was
being used because it was never missing or
stolen

However her story was soon known but not
soon enough.

In 1962 James
Watson, Francis
Crick, and Maurice
Wilkins received the
Noble Prize for the
double-helix model
of DNA.

Later James Watson
wrote a book “The
Double Helix” which
told the story of
Franklin along with
several other books.
Example “The Dark
Lady of DNA” by
Brenda Maddox
In the classroom:
This will be used as in introduction into
a DNA lab. It gives the students a
different side of DNA and how it came
about
Biology

Competency Goal 2 The learner will develop an
understanding of the continuity of life and the
changes of organisms over time.
Objectives
 2.01 Analyze the molecular basis of heredity/DNA
including:
 2.04 Assess the application of DNA technology to
forensics, medicine, and agriculture.
 2.05 Analyze and explain the role of genetics and
environment in health and disease.
Resources
Websites:
http://www.ncpublicschools.org
http://www.sdsc.edu/ScienceWomen/franklin.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bofran.html
Articles:
The Lancet: The elusive life of Rosalind Franklin
Volume 360, Issue 9350
EBSCOhost:
Title: Rosalind Franklin: Controversy and Discovery., By: Farrell, Courtney, Rosalind E
Franklin, 2006Database: MasterFILE Premier
Title: Rosalind Franklin: X-Ray Diffraction and DNA., By: Farrell, Courtney, Rosalind E
Franklin, 2006Database: MasterFILE Premier
DVD:
The Secret Life of DNA
Book:
Maddox, Brenda. Rosalind Franklin - The Dark Lady of DNA. New York: HarperCollins
Publishers, 2002.