The Immortal Life tells the story of a young black woman who died of cervical cancer in 1951-and left behind an inexplicably immortal line of cells known as HeLa.
Henrietta Lacks, whose cells-harvested without her knowledge or consent-contributed to scientific advancements such as the polio vaccine, treatments for cancers and viruses, in-vitro fertilization, and gene mapping.
This presentation will highlight the ethical issues raised as it is linked to the realities and perceptions in clinical trial participation and medical research, and will touch on the present day struggles with bioethics, and the involvement of communities in the clinical research process.
There will be a book signing following the lecture.