The Crystal Vision of Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin

Before I write about anyone, I tend to look at the quotes and comments attributed to them to see how much of their personality I can connect with. I think of science as a work in progress, a continuous effort to unravel each knot to reveal some mysteries. So, Dorothy Hodgkin’s words, more than those of most scientists, resonate deeply with me whether it is “The beauty of science lies in the intricate complexities of the natural world” or “Mistakes are inherent in scientific research and are valuable learning opportunities”.  But for me, the quote that captures the essence of both her life and work would be “Science does not exist in isolation; it is influenced by social, economic, and political factors”. Dorothy was not just a brilliant scientist; she was a woman of vision, deeply aware of the world around her and the role science plays in shaping it.

Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin with her crystal structures and during the Nobel awarding ceremony

Dorothy Mary Crowfoot was born in 1910 and spent her early years between England and colonial North Africa. At the age of 14, she discovered a shiny black mineral in the yard while visiting her parents and eagerly asked a family friend, scientist A. F. Joseph, if she could analyze it. Encouraged by his gift of a surveyor’s box of reagents and minerals, she set foot into a world that would define her life. “I was captured for life by chemistry and by crystals”, she later said. 

This early fascination with crystals naturally evolved into a lifelong dedication to X-ray crystallography, a technique used to determine the three-dimensional structure of molecules. By studying how X-rays interact with a crystal and scatter in specific patterns, scientists can reveal the internal arrangement of atoms, identify materials, and understand their structural properties. X-ray crystallography is crucial in fields like chemistry, biology, and materials science, helping researchers design new drugs, develop advanced materials, and explore the fundamental building blocks of matter. Her revolutionary approach in the field earned her the 1964 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, becoming only the third woman to receive the honor in the field, after Marie Curie (1911) and Irène Joliot-Curie (1935). More than four decades would pass before another woman, Ada E. Yonath, won the prize in 2009 for work on ribosome structures.

During her high school years at the Sir John Leman School in Beccles, England, Dorothy and her friend Norah Pusey were the only girls in their chemistry class. At the time, they had to petition to study chemistry instead of “domestic science.” This determination never left her. As she once said, “I believe in perfecting the world and trying to do everything to improve things, but not because I know what’s to come of it".

At 18, she enrolled at Oxford University to study chemistry, and for her doctoral work, she joined J.D. Bernal’s lab at Cambridge. An Irish scientist, Bernal pioneered the use of X-ray crystallography in molecular biology and published extensively on the history of science. In 1934, he took the first X-ray photograph of a protein crystal, proving that organic molecules could be crystallized. He was also known for welcoming women into his lab, which was revolutionary at the time. Using X-ray crystallography Dorothy first determined the atomic arrangements of simple salts and minerals before boldly extending the technique to complex biological molecules. With a rare combination of manual dexterity, mathematical precision, and deep expertise in crystallography and chemistry, she tackled structures previously deemed unsolvable. Under Bernal's mentorship, Dorothy earned her Ph.D. in 1937, focusing on sterols. That same year, she married historian Thomas Hodgkin.

The schematic of X-ray crystallography of penicillin (top), the physical model with the x-ray plots (bottom left), and the molecular diagram (bottom right).

For most of her career, Dorothy served as an Official Fellow and Tutor in Natural Science at Somerville College, where she primarily taught chemistry to students at the women’s colleges. She was appointed a University Lecturer and Demonstrator in 1946, later becoming a Reader in X-ray Crystallography in 1956 and a Wolfson Research Professor of the Royal Society in 1960. Her early work took place in the Department of Mineralogy and Crystallography under Professor H.L. Bowman. In 1944, when the department was reorganized, she continued her research in the newly established sub department of Chemical Crystallography, where she worked under Reader H.M. Powell, within the broader department led by Professor C.N. Hinshelwood.

Dorothy viewed scientific progress as a gradual process, remarking, “Most achievements in science are incremental—even breakthroughs”. Her ability to interpret the initially blurred electron density maps emerging from X-ray analysis set her apart, allowing her to discern molecular architectures that others could not. She gained global recognition among crystallographers for her pioneering work in determining the first molecular structure of a steroid in 1945 and later confirming the long-debated structure of penicillin in 1949. Her most celebrated accomplishment came in 1955 when she determined the structure of vitamin B12, a discovery that earned her the Nobel Prize nine years later.

Despite Dorothy's widely acknowledged career, she constantly battled gender biases. A British newspaper’s dismissive headline following her Nobel win—“Oxford housewife wins Nobel”—reflected the prevailing attitudes toward women in science. Crystallography itself was often undervalued, perceived as a technical discipline rather than a field of deep intellectual inquiry. This was, in part, due to its reputation as "women’s work." Many chemists regarded it as little more than a laboratory service, failing to recognize the complexity and expertise it required. 

Dorothy's perseverance was unmatched. One of her final and most significant contributions was the high-resolution structure of insulin, a molecule she had studied for over 50 years. Mapping its intricate 788-atom structure was an arduous task—it took her 34 years to complete. “The power of determination and perseverance cannot be underestimated in scientific research”, she reflected. Even chronic rheumatoid arthritis, which twisted and swelled her hands and feet, could not deter her. She worked through the pain, pausing her insulin studies only during World War II to tackle penicillin, an urgent necessity. Her discoveries had profound implications for medicine. Her structural analysis of penicillin facilitated its mass production, revolutionizing the fight against bacterial infections. Her work on Vitamin B12 provided a breakthrough in treating pernicious anemia. The insulin structure she painstakingly mapped paved the way for improved diabetes treatments.

While Dorothy’s scientific contributions transformed crystallography and medicine, she believed that science should also serve as a force for global unity. A visionary who understood that science, though rooted in equations and experiments, is deeply entwined with social and political realities, she actively promoted scientific diplomacy. During the Cold War, she fought to include Chinese and Soviet scientists in International Union of Crystallography (IUCr), believing that global engagement was crucial to mitigating the risk of armed conflict. From 1976 to 1988, she chaired the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, advocating for nuclear disarmament and scientific cooperation. In 1981, she stated, 'How to abolish arms and achieve a peaceful world is necessarily our first objective'. A lifelong pacifist, her opposition to war was shaped in part by personal tragedy—her mother had lost all four brothers in World War I. This profound loss reinforced Dorothy's anti-war stance, leading her to protest against both nuclear weapons and the Vietnam War.

Dorothy’s commitment to education and equity went beyond her scientific work. In 1970, she was elected Chancellor of Bristol University, where she redefined the role by fostering direct engagement with both students and faculty. As the first chancellor to regularly visit the Students’ Union and actively listen to student concerns, she advocated for those facing injustice. Her passion for expanding educational opportunities led to the creation of the Hodgkin Scholarship for students from the Global South, as well as Hodgkin House, a residence for international students. Both initiatives were named in honor of her late husband, a specialist in African studies. She shared his socialist vision for a more just and inclusive society, firmly believing that education, like science, should serve humanity.

Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin's legacy is a reminder that science is not just about breakthroughs, but about the persistence and collaboration required to deepen our understanding. She understood that "the pursuit of knowledge requires accepting that there will always be more to learn". Her impact endures, not only in her scientific contributions but also in her commitment to fostering a more equitable and interconnected world. Her legacy, like the structures she uncovered, remains firmly crystallized in history.

Reference:

1.https://www.nobelprize.org/womenwhochangedscience/stories/dorothy-hodgkin

2.https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/dorothy-hodgkin-penicillin-insulin

3.https://www.iucr.org/people/crystallographers/dorothy-crowfoot-hodgkin-by-m.f.-perutz

4.https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1964/hodgkin/biographical/