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Removal of Tissue Sample
At Johns Hopkins Hospital, Henrietta Lacks' tumor cells were taken during her cervical cancer treatment. These cells became known as "HeLa" cells. Representing the first two letters of her first and last name. -
Polio Vaccine Progress
HeLa cells become recognized for growing an abundance of poliovirus, which causes the polio disease. Scientists were able to better understand how the polio virus infected the cells. -
Study of X-Ray Impact on Human Cells
HeLa cells contributed to discovering how radiation affected cells. It was determined that x-rays may have negative effects on human cell growth. -
Cells in Space
Studies were done to figure out how radiation and travel to space would impact astronauts and their human cells. HeLa cells went on capsules as people explored the outer space. -
Blood Disorders and Sickle Cell Anemia
Hydroxyurea is a drug fighting against blood cancers, to slow the rate at which cancer cells grow. HeLa cells helped scientists determine potential benefits of treatment. -
Salmonella Infection
HeLa cells enabled scientists to quickly test exactly how salmonella spreads throughout the body. If scientists know how the body is infected, there will be greater plans for treating the disease. -
New Cervical Cancer Efforts
HeLa cells allowed scientists to understand how HPV, or the Human Papilloma Virus, can lead to different cervical cancer types. -
HIV-AIDS Epidemic
HeLa cells were found to be not easily infected by HIV, also known as Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Researchers could use this information to understand how HIV infects the body. Led to development of limiting infection from spreading. -
Tuberculosis
HeLa cells were used to see how Tuberculosis caused people to become sick. The development of treatments and vaccines wouldn't be made possible without discovering how the disease works. -
Ebola and HIV
It is discovered that Ebola and HIV enter the cells and cause disease in similar ways. This information leads to the development of more effective vaccines against Ebola. -
Dr. Harald zur Hausen
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to this man for his research in viruses. Dr. Harald zur Hausen demonstrated how certain types of viruses can cause cancer by using human papilloma virus-infected HeLa cells. - This discovery also leads to the development of a cervical cancer vaccine. -
Fighting Cancer with Thalidomide
HeLa cells were used to research how birth defects had been caused by thalidomide, which is an anti-morning sickness drug. The information gained was applied to stop the progression of certain cancers. -
Protecting Privacy
NIH, or the National Institutes of Health, reached an agreement with Henrietta Lacks' descendants. This understanding had allowed biomedical researchers to have controlled access to the entire genome data of her cells. This poses as a valuable tool for researchers to study causes and effects of diseases to create effective treatments. -
Dr. Eric Betzig, Dr. Stefan W. Hell, and Dr. William E. Moerner
Each of these men were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for making advancements in watching cellular growth occur live. Using mostly HeLa cells, their work involved developing a microscope technique allowing them to view cellular processes in real time. -
Covid-19 Contribution
HeLa cells had been used to study the effect SARS-CoV had on humans. This greatly benefited researchers during the pandemic to create a Covid -19 vaccine.