Who was Rosalind Franklin? 7 things to know about her

Rosalind Franklin was a pioneering British scientist whose research was crucial in understanding the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal, and graphite

Rosalind Franklin was born on July 25, 1920, in London. She excelled academically, attending St Paul's Girls' School, later Newnham College, Cambridge, where she studied chemistry

Franklin's most famous work involved X-ray diffraction images of DNA, particularly Photograph 51. Her data provided critical insights that led to the identification of the DNA

After her work on DNA, Franklin conducted significant research on RNA, viruses at Birkbeck College, London. Her studies on tobacco mosaic virus, poliovirus were vital to virology

Throughout her career, Franklin faced considerable gender bias in the male-dominated field of science. Despite her contributions, she was often marginalized

Franklin's collaboration with Maurice Wilkins at King's College, London, was fraught with tension. Wilkins shared her data with Watson and Crick without her permission

Her contributions were posthumously recognized. She did not live to see full impact of her work; she passed away from ovarian cancer, recognized as trailblazer of Molecular biology

Rosalind Franklin's work laid foundation for modern genetics and molecular biology. Her meticulous research methods and groundbreaking discoveries continue to inspire scientists