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1 August 2011 Life after Death: An Activity to Investigate the Scientific, Legal, & Racial Issues of the Henrietta Lacks Story
Stacy Baker
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Abstract

In this two-part activity, students examine living cervical cancer cells and chromosomes from a women named Henrietta Lacks who died over 60 years ago, hut whose cancer cells continued to divide and grow even after her death. Students then debate the legal and bioethical issues surrounding the use of her cells. This laboratory activity reinforces important introductory biology concepts such as mitosis and cancer. Once the students have experimented with Henrietta Lacks's cells, they feel connected to her story and passionate about exploring the science, legal, and racial issues surrounding the use of her cells.

© 2011 by National Association of Biology Teachers. All rights reserved. Request permission to photocopy or reproduce article content at the University of California Press's Rights and Permissions Web site at www.ucpressjournals.com/reprintinfo.asp.
Stacy Baker "Life after Death: An Activity to Investigate the Scientific, Legal, & Racial Issues of the Henrietta Lacks Story," The American Biology Teacher 73(6), 337-340, (1 August 2011). https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2011.73.6.6
Published: 1 August 2011
JOURNAL ARTICLE
4 PAGES

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KEYWORDS
Bioethics
cancer
cell division
HeLa
Henrietta Lacks
mitosis
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