Henrietta Lacks Research Papers

Henrietta Lacks made one of the most substantial contributions to modern medical science in human history. Her cells have helped millions of the people and have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. The name Henrietta Lacks was unknown to the world for decades. Alternatively, they used other names to hide the identity of the person who had donated the cells. Now her name and her cells are known by scientists across the world. Henrietta Lack’s cells, also known as Hela cells, have helped to make innumerable positive advances in modern medical research. Henrietta Lacks was born in Roanoke, Virginia in the year 1920. With the death of her mother she moved in with her grandfather and shared a bedroom with her cousin David. She married him in 1941

Henrietta went to John Hopkins Hospital in 1951 reporting to the doctors there that she had abdominal pain. The doctors found that she had internal bleeding in her abdomen. The doctors then diagnosed her with cervical cancer, which is a type of cancer that forms in the woman’s uterus. She had multiple radiation treatments done to her where they then took samples of the cancer tissue without her knowing. Henrietta died on October 4th, 1951 at the age of 31. Even after her death at an early age, a crucial part of her still lives on to this very day. This essential part of her is known to scientists around the world as HeLa cells. These cells have been a pivotal part in many major medical breakthroughs throughout the past several decades. These cells have a unique facet about them, Henrietta’s cells from her cervical cancer tissue are immortal and do not die. These cells continue to multiple over and

This allowed for more experiments to be done which lead to the development of the polio vaccine. As stated by Neil Bhavsar, “the vaccine developed… was only possible because HeLa cells were able to survive in Vitro. The HeLa cells were easy to infect and study, and therefore provided the perfect subject” (Bhavsar). The vaccine itself was developed by a scientists of the name of Jonas Salk. The ability for the cells to be easily infected allowed for the continued development of the polio vaccine. These cells have helped prevent the deaths of 650,000 people and 13 million cases of paralysis since the 1980’s (Bhavsar). “All of this would not have been possible if it weren’t for Henrietta Lack’s immortal life” (Bhavsar). HeLa cells helped make the polio vaccine possible with their ability to be tested on and studied. As well as its ability to be multiplied continuously for multiple trials of an