Maurice Wilkins was a New Zealand-born physicist and molecular biologist, best known for his role in the discovery of the structure of DNA. He worked at King's College London in the 1950s, where he used X-ray diffraction techniques to study DNA. His research provided critical evidence that helped reveal the double helix structure of DNA. In 1962, Wilkins was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine alongside James Watson and Francis Crick for their contributions to understanding DNA's structure. His work laid the foundation for modern genetics and has had a lasting impact on biology and medicine.