Rosalind+Franklin

 Rosalind Elsie Franklin

Rosalind working in the lab

**Birth:** July 25, 1920 in Kenington, London
 * Death**: April 16, 1958 in Chelsea, London (died of ovarian cancer)
 * Nationality:** British
 * Education**: Went to St. Paul's Girl's School in childhood, then later attended Newnham College, Cambridge to receive her Ph.D.
 * Occupation:** Biophysicist and crystallographer
 * DNA Discovery**: X-Ray diffraction images of DNA. Framework of Watson and Crick's Watson & Crick hypothesis of the double helical structure of DNA.

In 1951, Rosalind accepted Professor John Randall's offer to work with him in his laboratory at Kings College in England. It was here that Rosalind discovered that DNA could crystallize in two different forms. She was successful in developing a clever and lengthy method to divide these two forms. This separation allowed her to give way to diffraction patterns which permitted her to discover vital rudimentary details regarding the structure of DNA. By photographing these crystals and interpreting the model, Rosalind determined that the sugar-phospate areas actaully lie on the outside (previously was believed to be on the inside) of a DNA molecule. She also realized that the helical structure has two (previously was believed to have three) strands. 



Photo of X-Ray Diffraction

__**BIBLIOGRAPHY **__  http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/AB/BC/Rosalind_Franklin.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_Franklin#University_education http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2002/oct/darklady/