Norman Simmons (1915–2004) was a DNA research pioneer. Simmons worked with Elkan Blout on proteins and polypeptides and was also recognized for isolating a structurally pure form of DNA. This was, in fact, the DNA which Rosalind Franklin used in her X-ray diffraction studies that rewarded Maurice Wilkins, James Watson and Francis Crick with the Nobel Prize for the double helix model of DNA. Wilkins stated at that time: "I wish to thank Norman Simmons for having refined techniques of isolating DNA, and thereby helping a great many workers including ourselves."