Henrietta Lacks was an African-American woman whose cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized human cell line and one of the most important cell lines in medical research. Her cells have been used in groundbreaking medical research and were even taken to space! Unfortunately, she and her family were unaware of the use of her cells until 25 years after they were harvested - and after the death of Henrietta Lacks.
The Docs go into detail about the legacy of the HeLa cells and how ethics and patient safety in clinical trials have improved since then.
If you'd like to read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, you can buy it from Books and Crannies, a Black Owned Bookstore, here.
--
New episodes every Tuesday! Subscribe so you don't miss a beat! Also, join us for our monthly live podcasts on Facebook and Youtube!
Join the Conversation! Follow us on social media!
3 Black Docs
Dr. Karen Winkfield
Dr. Zanetta Lamar
