IDM Seminar Program

Wednesday, 22 April 2026 | 13:00 - 14:00
Wolfson Pavilion Foyer, IDM Building

Host: Dr Caron Jacobs

Speaker: Dr John Woodland

Every year, “DNA Day” is celebrated on 25 April—marking the day in 1953 when Watson and Crick, alongside colleagues including Rosalind Franklin, published their groundbreaking papers that revealed the structure of DNA in Nature. Central to this discovery was Franklin’s extraordinary X-ray diffraction image that proved key to unlocking DNA’s double helical structure—Photo 51.

This talk introduces a striking new vocal composition by Cecilia McDowall inspired by Photo 51, weaving fragments of Franklin’s own words into the music. Alongside the performance, a short presentation will illuminate Franklin’s vital contribution and acknowledge the broader role of women in shaping modern science—with a few unexpected connections to Cape Town!

John Woodland is a Research Officer at the Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre and an IDM Fellow. His research focuses on developing molecular strategies—including novel treatments and research tools—to tackle the scourge of infectious disease, with an emphasis on malaria. John is committed to promoting science and strengthening scientific literacy in South Africa and across the African continent. John is also a musician; he leads his own choral ensemble, VOX Cape Town, and is a broadcaster on Fine Music Radio.