October
17 ,
2003
MHC
Student Portrays Pioneering Scientist on PBS’s Nova
In May 1951, molecular biologist Rosalind Franklin produced a remarkable
X-ray photograph, one that would open the door to one of the
greatest discoveries in modern science. Franklin’s image led James
Watson and Francis Crick to their famous discovery of the double-helix
pattern of DNA, nucleic acids that are commonly referred to as
the building blocks of life.
Watson and Crick were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962 for their discovery,
and shared the award with their colleague, Maurice Wilkins, who had shown them
Franklin’s image without her knowledge. Yet Franklin’s contribution
went unrecognized. When she died of ovarian cancer in 1958, at age 37, she
did not know that Watson and Crick had seen her photograph, and so never knew
of her own crucial role in the unraveling of the double helix. Her death prevented
her from being considered for
the Nobel, which is not awarded posthumously.
Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Gary Glassman approached Leah Serinsky ’05
this spring for her help in correcting that 50-year-old slight and elevating
Franklin to her rightful place in history. Glassman’s Providence Pictures
was filming the documentary Secret of Photo 51 for the Public Broadcasting
System series Nova and the filmmaker had chosen Serinsky to play the role of
the pioneering scientist.
“I was struck by the uncanny resemblance of Leah to Rosalind Franklin,” said
Glassman, who has known Serinsky’s family for a number of years. “It’s
an important film about a very important woman, and I would think that it would
be an honor to portray her.”
Serinsky was initially hesitant, having had no acting experience, but eventually
agreed. The filming took place over three days in a classroom at Brown University,
not far from her parents’ home in Providence, Rhode Island. She recalled
that the work was exhausting, with days beginning at 7 am and wrapping up around
9 pm. “I had no idea what I was in for,”
she said.
“She had never done anything like this before, but she was enthusiastic
and resourceful,” said Glassman, who wrote, edited, directed, and produced
the film. “It was wonderful to work with her.”
Glassman was inspired to create the film because although he had heard about
a number of documentary projects planned for the fiftieth anniversary of
the DNA discovery, none had dealt with Rosalind Franklin and her photo. “Worse
than that,” he said, “I had read interviews with Wilson where he
was still downplaying Rosalind’s role.” Secret of Photo 51 had its
premiere broadcast on April 22, and viewer response, Glassman said, was overwhelming. “I
would hope the Rosalind Franklin story would inspire women to go into science
and stand up for their rightful place.”
Serinsky, whose interests run not to the sciences but to romance languages
and literature, is gratified to have played a role in bringing Franklin’s accomplishments
to the fore. “I’ve gotten a great deal of
satisfaction in helping people
learn about Rosalind Franklin,” she said.
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