004 Microbes, the little guys_Henrietta Lacks and the origins of the HeLa cell line

"Who was Henrietta Lacks?" and "Where do HeLa cells come from?" These are a few of the questions answered in this podcast, which explores the origins of the very first immortal cell line. The HeLa cells originate from the an epidermoid carcinoma from the cervix from Henrietta Lacks. Rebecca Skloot helps us explore the everything HeLa, as these cells have been continously grown in culture since there first isolation in 1951. They were used in the investigations into the polio virus as well as the development of the polio vaccine by Scherer et. al. 1953. Now ubiquitously found in universities and research labs worldwide, the HeLa cell line continues to provide insights into the mechanisms of cancer and the wider study of human genetics and molecular biology.  HeLa cells can be seen as the most important discovery for human medical microbiology. Join us as we pay homage to Henrietta Lacks and her contribution to the continued development of modern medicine.