Maurice Wilkins

Biography

Maurice Hugh Frederick Wilkins was born on December 15, 1916, in Pongaroa, New Zealand, and became a key figure in 20th-century biophysics. He moved to Britain as a child, attended King Edward's School, and studied physics at St John's College, University of Cambridge, before earning his doctorate at the University of Birmingham. His early research spanned areas like phosphorescence and isotope separation, showing his wide-ranging scientific curiosity. During World War II, he worked on the Manhattan Project, focusing on uranium isotopes. This experience left him uneasy about using science for military purposes, pushing him towards biology and medicine.

After the war, Wilkins joined the Medical Research Council at King's College London, where he began studying nucleic acids in 1948. By 1950, he and his team developed methods to prepare and image DNA fibers using X-ray diffraction, creating some of the earliest detailed images of DNA. In 1951, he presented this work at a conference in Naples, attended by a young James Watson, who became dedicated to uncovering DNA's structure after seeing Wilkins' work. This presentation was pivotal for the discovery of the double helix.

In late 1951, Rosalind Franklin joined King's College to work on DNA, but unclear administrative roles led to ongoing tensions with Wilkins. Franklin and graduate student Raymond Gosling produced Photo 51, a clear X-ray image of B-form DNA, in 1952. In early 1953, laboratory director John Randall instructed Gosling to give the image to Wilkins. Wilkins showed Photo 51 to Watson without Franklin's consent, a decision that has been criticized and debated. The insights from this image helped Watson and Crick develop their double helix model in March 1953.

Wilkins' contribution went beyond sharing Photo 51. He started and led the DNA diffraction program at King's before Franklin arrived, and his lab continued to confirm the double helix structure. His images were published alongside the Watson-Crick paper in the April 1953 issue of Nature. In 1962, Wilkins won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Watson and Crick. The award was controversial due to Franklin's exclusion, as she died of cancer in 1958 and the Nobel is not given posthumously. Wilkins later expressed regret over how Franklin was treated and admitted her exclusion from the prize was unfair.

Besides DNA research, Wilkins contributed to optical microscopy and was active in discussions about scientists' social responsibilities. He served as president of the British Society for Social Responsibility in Science and stayed involved in research ethics throughout his life. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire, elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and received the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research in 1960. Wilkins was married to Patricia Ann Chidgey and then to Ruth Wilkins. He died on October 5, 2004, in Blackheath, London.