Dorothy Hodgkin

Dorothy Crowfoot was born in Cairo, Egypt, to British parents; her father was an archaeologist and her mother a historian. She spent much of her childhood in England and Sudan, and from an early age showed a passion for chemistry. She studied at Somerville College, Oxford, where she was introduced to X-ray crystallography by her tutor. She then moved to the University of Cambridge to work with John Desmond Bernal, a pioneer in the field, and there she applied crystallography to biological molecules such as sterols and pepsin.¹

Hodgkin's most celebrated work began in the 1940s when she determined the structure of penicillin, a breakthrough that confirmed its beta-lactam ring and aided the development of synthetic antibiotics. In 1956 she solved the structure of vitamin B12, the largest and most complex molecule yet analyzed by crystallography at that time, revealing its corrin ring and cobalt atom. Her later work on insulin, which she pursued for over three decades, culminated in the complete structure of the hormone in 1969, providing insights into its function and diabetes research.²

Hodgkin received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964, the third woman to win the prize after Marie Curie and Irène Joliot-Curie. She was appointed to the Order of Merit in 1965, a rare honour for a scientist. Her work inspired generations of crystallographers and structural biologists, and she was a mentor to many, including Margaret Thatcher, who later became Prime Minister. Hodgkin also used her scientific reputation to advocate for peace and international cooperation, serving as president of the Pugwash Conferences.³

Beyond her famous structures, Hodgkin made significant contributions to the study of other molecules, including cholesterol, lactoglobulin, and ferritin. She was an early user of computers in crystallography, collaborating with programmers to refine structures. Her personal life was marked by a long battle with rheumatoid arthritis, which deformed her hands but did not hinder her experimental work. She also championed the cause of scientists in developing countries, particularly in China and India, and was a lifelong member of the Communist Party, which sometimes complicated her career during the Cold War.⁴

X-ray crystallography

A technique used to determine the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal by diffracting X-rays.

Beta-lactam ring

A four-membered lactam ring that is a key structural feature of penicillin and related antibiotics.

Corrin ring

A macrocyclic ring system in vitamin B12 that coordinates a cobalt atom.