The Cambridge Festival Book Club
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Discover the incredible story of Henrietta Lacks, a woman whose cells enabled a scientific revolution and contributed to numerous incredible developments and life-saving treatments.
She changed the world when her cells were taken without her knowledge and scientists found they could be grown indefinitely in the laboratory. Known to scientists as ‘HeLa’, her cells became crucial for understanding viruses, devising cancer treatments and the development of vaccines. She died from cervical cancer in 1951, a 31-year old mother of five.
As part of The Cambridge Festival 2021, we invite you to read (or re-read) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot and join us in reflecting on Henrietta’s life and story and to discover the science behind her immortal cells.
Through this website, you can learn about the science of ‘HeLa’ cells, ask our scientists a question about their work, or ‘borrow a scientist’ to participate in your virtual book club meeting to discuss the current research that is taking place, thanks to Henrietta’s cells.
This project is a collaboration between the Cambridge University Public Engagement team and the Gurdon Institute with support from The Stem Cell Institute, CRUK Cambridge Institute, MRC Toxicology Unit, the Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease and Cambridge University Pharmacology, Surgery and Zoology departments.