Francis Crick: Biographical Quiz

Francis Crick: A Biographical Summary

• Francis Crick (1916-2004) was a pioneering British biophysicist
• Crick's significant contributions include his crucial role in the 1953 discovery of DNA's double helix structure
• Crick's interest in physics emerged through his early work at University College London
• He began graduate studies on the viscosity of water, then worked for the Royal Navy during WWII on acoustic and magnetic mines

Crick's Academic Journey

• Crick later transitioned to biology, earning a PhD in X-ray diffraction of proteins
• He met James Watson at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, which led to their collaborative work on DNA
• Crick and Watson's collaborative study propelled the race to understand the molecular structure of DNA.
• Their landmark paper, published in Nature in 1953, revealed the now-famous double helix structure of DNA.

Crick's Later Career & Honors

• Crick pursued the study of the genetic code, moving to make key contributions in the ongoing study of the genetic code
• He earned the Nobel Prize in 1962 and various medals from the Royal Society in 1972 and 1975
• He became a distinguished research professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where he focused on developmental neurobiology and human consciousness.