Immortal HeLa cells: Free talk on Henrietta Lacks, cancer research advances

December 14, 9:30am - 11:30am
Mānoa Campus, 鶹ýCancer Center Sullivan Conference Center (701 Ilalo Street)

Henrietta Lacks' grandson, Alfred Lacks Carter Jr., will return to the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center to honor his grandmother’s legacy and the groundbreaking medical discoveries made possible by her immortal HeLa cells.

This free, public event will be held on Saturday, December 14, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the 鶹ýCancer Center’s Sullivan Conference Center and via Zoom. In-person attendees are encouraged to RSVP at https://honoring-lacks.eventbrite.com or by calling (808) 564-3809, as space is limited.

Lacks Carter will share updates on the Lacks family’s collaboration with the National Institutes of Health and their recent settlement with Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Henrietta Lacks’ HeLa cells

Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer after experiencing constant pain and extensive vaginal bleeding. Despite undergoing treatment, her cancer was terminal and unfortunately, took her life at 31 years of age. Henrietta died on October 4, 1951 only eight months after her cancer diagnosis.

Researchers took samples of Henrietta’s cancerous tumor during her treatment and were shocked at their discovery. Her cells were the first immortal line of human cells that doubles every 24 hours, allowing researchers to have an indefinite replenishment of these cells to study. They named these cells “HeLa” after the first two letters of her first and last name.

HeLa cells quickly made a global impact—they were distributed to researchers across the world, even into space, resulting in substantial advances in research and medicine. HeLa cells contributed to the discovery of human papillomaviruses (HPV) causing cervical cancer and the creation of the HPV vaccine, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Nobel Prize-winning developments of the polio vaccines, and much more.

This will be the second time Alfred Lacks Carter, Jr. will speak on Henrietta’s everlasting legacy and impact in Hawaiʻi.

Learn more about Henrietta Lacks at https://hela100.org/herstory.


Ticket Information
https://honoring-lacks.eventbrite.com/

Event Sponsor
鶹ýCancer Center, Mānoa Campus

More Information
(808) 564-3809,

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