Academic Year 2012-2013
Event Title
Location
Alvin Sherman Library, Second Floor Gallery
Start Date
4-4-2013 12:00 PM
End Date
4-4-2013 1:00 PM
Disciplines
Biology | Cancer Biology | Medical Cell Biology | Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
Description
One of the most famous examples of cell lines surviving long after a person has died comes from a tumor found in the body of Henrietta Lacks, who died of cervical cancer in 1950. The study of approximately 50 million tons of her cells, which would conservatively equal the amount of cells in one billion people, has resulted in nearly 11,000 patents, including the polio vaccine. These cells have become a focus of public attention since Rebecca Skloot’s 2010 book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. This talk will discuss what happens to cells once they leave our bodies, especially when we have samples taken as part of medical procedures.
Included in
Biology Commons, Cancer Biology Commons, Medical Cell Biology Commons, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Commons
Cellular Life Beyond an Individual’s Death
Alvin Sherman Library, Second Floor Gallery
One of the most famous examples of cell lines surviving long after a person has died comes from a tumor found in the body of Henrietta Lacks, who died of cervical cancer in 1950. The study of approximately 50 million tons of her cells, which would conservatively equal the amount of cells in one billion people, has resulted in nearly 11,000 patents, including the polio vaccine. These cells have become a focus of public attention since Rebecca Skloot’s 2010 book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. This talk will discuss what happens to cells once they leave our bodies, especially when we have samples taken as part of medical procedures.