When a biology student looks into a microscope, they see cells dividing, proteins fluorescing, and the machinery of life. But do they see the person behind the petri dish? A new approach in biology education is using a powerful true story to ensure the answer is "yes."
Every great scientific revolution comes with a shadow—a set of ethical dilemmas we must confront. The breathtaking progress in biomedical research, from gene editing to personalized medicine, is no exception. For decades, the "how" of science was the sole focus of a biology major's education. But now, educators are realizing that teaching the "how" without the "should we" is an incomplete education. The solution? A gripping work of nonfiction, Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, is being used as a gateway to explore the complex, and often unsettling, world of biomedical research ethics .
At the heart of this pedagogical shift is the story of Henrietta Lacks, a young Black woman who died of cervical cancer in 1951. Without her knowledge or consent, a sample of her tumor was taken. These cells, nicknamed "HeLa," exhibited a property never before seen: they were immortal. They could divide indefinitely in a lab, a breakthrough that revolutionized biology .
The voluntary agreement of an individual to participate in research based on a clear understanding of the facts, implications, and future use of their biological materials. Henrietta Lacks did not provide this.
Who owns your cells, your DNA, once they are removed from your body? The story of HeLa challenges the traditional view that discarded tissue is simply "medical waste."
For decades, the Lacks family was unaware that Henrietta's cells were being used worldwide, even as their mother's genetic information was published and discussed.
The case highlights a history of marginalized communities being exploited for scientific gain, raising critical questions about who benefits from research and who bears its burdens.
HeLa cells became a cornerstone of modern medicine. They were used to develop the polio vaccine, study cancer, understand the effects of radiation, and even sent to space. Yet, while companies profited from technologies developed using HeLa, the Lacks family struggled with poverty and a lack of access to healthcare .
To understand the scientific impact and the ethical lapse, let's examine the foundational work that first confirmed HeLa's unique properties.
Background: Before 1951, scientists struggled to keep human cells alive for more than a few days in culture. This severely limited research into human disease. Dr. George Gey, the head of tissue culture at Johns Hopkins, was on a quest to find a line of cells that could grow indefinitely .
The core result was simple yet profound: HeLa cells did not senesce (age and die). They doubled their population every 20-24 hours, a rate that could be sustained indefinitely with proper care. This "immortality" meant that, for the first time, scientists everywhere could perform experiments on the same, stable batch of human cells.
This was the birth of in vitro (in glass) human biology. It standardized research, allowing results from different labs to be compared directly. It removed the variability of animal models and the ethical and practical challenges of constant human experimentation. HeLa became the first, and most prolific, "tool" in the modern biomedical toolkit.
| Cell Type | Doubling Time | Maximum Lifespan in Culture | Key Characteristic |
|---|---|---|---|
| HeLa (Cancer) | 20-24 hours | Indefinite (Immortal) | Rapid, uncontrolled division. |
| Normal Fibroblast | ~48 hours | ~50-70 divisions (Hayflick Limit) | Follows a programmed lifespan. |
This table highlights the fundamental biological difference between HeLa cells and normal human cells, demonstrating why they became such a powerful research tool.
| Decade | Milestone | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | Polio Vaccine Development & Testing | HeLa cells were used to mass-test the vaccine, leading to its rapid deployment and the near-eradication of polio. |
| 1960s | Human Genetics | HeLa cells were sent to space, revealing how cells divide in zero gravity. They were also used to identify the correct number of human chromosomes (46). |
| 1980s | Virology & Cancer | Key to understanding how viruses like HPV can cause cancer, leading to the development of the HPV vaccine. |
| 2000s | Drug Discovery & Genomics | Used as a standard model for screening anti-cancer drugs and for mapping the human genome. |
This non-exhaustive list showcases the sheer breadth of HeLa's contribution to global health, underscoring its indispensable role in science.
| Aspect | 1951 (Henrietta's Time) | Modern Ethical Standards (Post-1979 Belmont Report) |
|---|---|---|
| Informed Consent | Not standard practice for tissue collected during diagnosis/treatment. | Mandatory, detailed process with written documentation. |
| Patient Awareness | Patients were rarely informed about secondary research use. | Patients must be told if their biospecimens may be used for future research. |
| Commercialization | No consideration for patient or family if cells became profitable. | Complex issues of benefit-sharing are actively debated; some consent forms address potential commercialization. |
This table illustrates the dramatic evolution in ethical standards, using the Lacks case as the historical benchmark for why these changes were necessary.
Henrietta Lacks' cells are collected without consent and found to be "immortal"
HeLa cells used to develop polio vaccine
HeLa cells sent to space and used in chromosome research
Widespread use in cancer and virology research
Publication of "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" brings ethical issues to public attention
NIH establishes agreement with Lacks family for controlled access to HeLa genome data
What does it take to keep a piece of a 1951 tumor alive today? Here are the essential "research reagent solutions" that make working with HeLa and other cell lines possible.
A cocktail of sugars, salts, vitamins, and amino acids that provides the essential nutrients for cells to survive and divide.
A supplement added to the growth medium. It provides a complex mix of proteins, growth factors, and hormones that are crucial for cell health and proliferation.
An enzyme solution used to detach adherent cells (like HeLa) from the bottom of their culture flask. This is a critical step for sub-culturing and expanding the cell line.
Added to the medium to prevent bacterial contamination, which can quickly overrun and destroy a precious cell culture.
A salt solution used to wash cells, removing dead cells and metabolic waste before adding fresh medium or trypsin.
Used for cryopreservation. Cells are mixed with a protective agent (DMSO) and frozen at -196°C, putting them in a state of suspended animation for long-term storage.
Using The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks in the biology classroom does more than just teach history. It transforms abstract ethical principles into a human story with profound emotional and intellectual resonance. Students are forced to grapple with the fact that every data point, every beautiful microscopic image, and every breakthrough can be traced back to a person.
By integrating this narrative, educators are not dampening scientific enthusiasm; they are fostering a new generation of more thoughtful, empathetic, and ethically-aware scientists. They are ensuring that the pursuit of knowledge is always guided by a profound respect for the people who make it possible.
In the end, the story of Henrietta Lacks teaches the most critical lesson of all: that behind every cell line, there is a life, a family, and a legacy that demands our respect.