PhD in Physical Chemistry
University of Cambridge
Thesis: "The physical chemistry of solid organic colloids with special reference to coal"
Education
1942 – 1945
1938 – 1941
Natural Sciences Tripos
Newnham College, Cambridge
Graduated with Second-Class Honours in Chemistry. Awarded research fellowship upon completion.
1931 – 1938
Secondary Education
St Paul's Girls' School, London
Excelled in science, Latin, and sports. Passed matriculation with six distinctions, winning a university scholarship.
Professional Experience
1953 – 1958
Research Associate / Senior Scientist
Birkbeck College, University of London
Led Agricultural Research Council group studying viral structures. Conducted pioneering X-ray crystallography research on tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), RNA viruses, and polio virus. Supervised PhD students and post-doctoral researchers including Aaron Klug and Kenneth Holmes.
1951 – 1953
Research Associate
King's College London – MRC Biophysics Unit
Conducted X-ray diffraction studies of DNA fibres. Discovered the two forms of DNA (A and B). Produced Photo 51, the landmark X-ray diffraction image that provided key evidence for DNA's helical structure. Demonstrated that phosphate groups lie on the outside of the DNA molecule.
1947 – 1950
Chercheur (Postdoctoral Researcher)
Laboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de l'État, Paris
Trained under Jacques Mering in X-ray crystallography techniques applied to amorphous substances. Studied carbon structures and the transformation of coal to graphite. Coined the terms "graphitising" and "non-graphitising carbon".
1942 – 1946
Assistant Research Officer
British Coal Utilisation Research Association (BCURA)
Studied the porosity and microstructure of coal using helium density measurements. Developed methods to classify coals and predict their performance for fuel and gas mask production. Research contributed to wartime efforts.
Key Achievements
Photo 51
Supervised the production of the famous X-ray diffraction photograph that provided crucial evidence for DNA's double helical structure.
DNA Forms
First to discover and characterise the A and B forms of DNA, identifying critical structural parameters.
TMV Structure
Determined that tobacco mosaic virus particles are uniform in length and that RNA is wound along the inner surface of the hollow virus.
Carbon Science
Pioneered understanding of coal microstructure and coined terminology still used in carbon chemistry.
Selected Publications
Molecular Configuration in Sodium Thymonucleate (1953)
Franklin, R.E. & Gosling, R.G. – Nature, 171, 740-741
Evidence for 2-Chain Helix in Crystalline Structure of Sodium Deoxyribonucleate (1953)
Franklin, R.E. & Gosling, R.G. – Nature, 172, 156-157
Structure of Tobacco Mosaic Virus (1955)
Franklin, R.E. – Nature, 175, 379-381
Location of the Ribonucleic Acid in the Tobacco Mosaic Virus Particle (1956)
Franklin, R.E. – Nature, 177, 928-930
Technical Expertise
X-ray Crystallography
X-ray Diffraction
Physical Chemistry
Patterson Function Analysis
Molecular Structure Determination
Coal & Carbon Chemistry
Virology
Microscopy
Languages
English
Native
French
Fluent
German
Proficient
Honours & Legacy
• Turner & Newall Research Fellowship (1950–1953)
• Agricultural Research Council Senior Scientist grant (1954–1958)
• U.S. National Institutes of Health grant – largest ever received at Birkbeck (1957)
• Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award established in her honour (2003)
• Asteroid 9241 Rosfranklin named after her (1997)
• Franklin–Wilkins Building at King's College London (2000)
• Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Chicago (2004)
• English Heritage Blue Plaque, Drayton Gardens, London (1992)