Homepage

Record

Authorised form of nameCrick; Francis Harry Compton (1916 - 2004)
Dates1916 - 2004
NationalityBritish
Place of birthNorthampton, England
Date of birth08/06/1916
Place of deathSan Diego, California
Date of death29/07/2004
Research fieldBiology
ActivityEducation:
Northampton Grammar School and Mill Hill School, London; BSc (Physics) from University College London (1937)
Career:
Began research for a PhD under A N da C Andrade (1937), but interrupted by outbreak of war in 1939. During the war he worked as a scientist for the Admiralty Research Establishment, mainly in connection with magnetic and acoustic mines. After the war was given a job in scientific intelligence by the Admiralty. In 1947 he went to study Biology and with a studentship from the Medical Research Council worked at the Strangeways Research Laboratory in Cambridge (1947). Staff, MRC Unit for Molecular Biology/Laboratory of Molecular Biology (1949-1977), joined the MRC Unit headed by Max Perutz in the Cavendish Laboratory in 1950, and again became a research student obtaining a PhD (1954) with a thesis 'X-ray diffraction; polypeptides and proteins'. With W Cochran and V Vand he worked out the general theory of X-ray diffraction by a helix. After Watson joined the MRC Unit in 1952 he worked with him culminating in 1953 with their joint proposal of a double helical structure for DNA and the replication scheme. Before Watson's return to America they collaborated on work on the structure of small viruses. From 1955 he collaborated with Sydney Brenner on work concentrated more on biochemistry and genetics leading to ideas about protein synthesis and the genetic code. Fellow, Churchill College, Cambridge (1960-1961). Became Head of the Division of Molecular Genetics (renamed Division of Cell Biology in 1969) in 1962 when the Unit moved to a new building, and joint Head with Sydney Brenner in 1963. Non resident Fellow, Salk Institute for Biological Studies (1962-1973), Ferkhauf Foundation Visiting Professor (1962-1977), moved to the Salk Institute in California (1975) where his main interest was neurosciences, J W Kieckhefer Distinguished Professor (1977-2004), President (1994-1995). Also Professor of biology, chemistry and psychology at the University of California, San Diego. Not afraid to embrace controversial theories, being a leading proponent of the theory of panspermia, which suggests life originated in space. Also believed global warming posed a serious threat for the world, and turned to neuroscience in order to provide answers to questions more usually thought of as religious.
Medals and prizes:
Nobel Prize (Physiology or Medicine) 1962
Honours:
OM 1991
Membership categoryFellow
Date of election19/03/1959
Age at election42
RSActivityMedals and prizes:
Royal Medal 1972; Copley Medal 1975
Lectures:
Croonian 1966
RelationshipsMarried (1940) Ruth Doreen Dodd (marriage dissolved 1947); married Odile Speed (1949)
PublishedWorksWhat Mad Pursuit; The Astonishing Hypothesis;
SourceSouces:
Obituaries in The Guardian (30/07/2004); Daily Telegraph (30/07/2004); The Times (30/07/2004); The Financial Times (30/07/2004), The Independent (03/08/2004)
References:
Francis Crick's scientific archive purchased by Wellcome Trust in 2001 with the assistance of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Catalogue available and on Wellcome website. Includes correspondence, reaearch notes and other material, including material relating to Crick's work in molecular biology and in particular his eleucidation, with James Watson, of the structure of DNA. Digitized material available at http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/SC/
John Postgate, review of Francis Crick, What Mad Pursuit: A Personal View of Scientific Discovery in NR 1991 vol 45 pp 284-286
R Holliday, 'The early years of molecular biology: personal recollections' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 195-208
Anne Cooke, 'Shedding light on the enigmatic Rosalind Franklin. Rosalind Franklin - the dark lady of DNA, by B Maddox' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 239-243
F Lambert, 'News of the Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 265-266
R A Crowther, 'Viruses and the development of quantitative biological electron microscopy' in NR 2004 vol 58 pp 65-81
Chris Beckett "For the medical record: the Francis Crick archive at the Wellcome Library", Medical History, 2004, 48: pp 245-260
CodeNA6822
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNoTitleDate
IM/GA/AR/7100Crick, Francis Harry Comptonnd
IM/000992Crick, Francis Harry Comptonnd
EC/1959/08Crick, Francis Harry Compton: certificate of election to the Royal Society
Add to My Items
    Papers of Colin Pillinger

    Papers of Colin Pillinger

    Useful Links

    Collection highlights

    Browse the records of some of our collections, which cover all branches of science and date from the 12th century onwards. These include the published works of Fellows of the Royal Society, personal papers of eminent scientists, letters and manuscripts sent to the Society or presented at meetings, and administrative records documenting the Society's activities since our foundation in 1660.

    Classified Papers
    Classified Papers
    Papers of Elsie Widdowson and Robert McCance
    Papers of Elsie Widdowson and Robert McCance
    Botanical paintings by Jacob van Huysum and William Sartorius
    Botanical paintings by Jacob van Huysum and William Sartorius
    New Letter Books
    New Letter Books
    Browse Collections

    The Royal Society

    The Royal Society is a Fellowship of many of
    the world's most eminent scientists and is the
    oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.
    Registered charity number 207043

    Website design ©CalmView



    CONTACT US

    + 44 207 451 2500
    (Lines open Mon-Fri, 9:00-17:00. Excludes bank holidays)

    6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG

    Email Us →

    SUBSCRIBE

    Subscribe to our newsletters to be updated with the
    latest news on innovation, events, articles and reports.

    Subscribe →

    © CalmView