Welcome to the website for One Book One Northwestern 2011-2012. This year’s book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization, and more. Reading and talking about her incredible story is a great way to ponder the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing.

Read. Reflect. Explore.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Posted on February 2, 2012

Tuesday, February 14, 12:00 p.m.

McCormick Tribune Forum, 1870 Campus Drive, Evanston

Dr. Roland Pattillo:History of HeLa Cell use in Biomedical Research.

Dr. Roland Pattillo was one of George Gey’s students at John Hopkins University. Gey was the researcher who was able to grow cells taken during a biopsy when Henrietta Lacks was being treated for cervical cancer. These cultured cells gave rise to the HeLa cell line. Currently, Pattillo is a practicing physician and Professor of Gynecology at Morehouse School of Medicine. When Pattillo came to Morehouse in 1995, he organized a women’s health conference in honor of Lacks and invited members of the Lacks family to Atlanta to speak. The HeLa Conference just celebrated its 16th year.

Refreshments will be served.

Posted by One Book on January 10, 2012

rebecca skloot with sponsors

Bestselling author REBECCA SKLOOT spent over ten years doggedly uncovering the truth about the life, death, and ultimate "immortality" of a poor, black tobacco farmer named Henrietta Lacks. The book, THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS, is the end result. Skloot tells the story of HeLa cells—one of the most important tools in biomedical research—and the Lacks family, highlighting the collision between race, class, and bioethics in America.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26 AT 4:30 P.M.BOOK SIGNING TO FOLLOW
Ryan Auditorium, Technological Institute - 2145 Sheridan Rd
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC