BIOLOGY HONORS PROJECT(10% of your grade)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Part One: Life

Please writeyour personal response to Part One (Life) Chapters 1-11. Your essay needs to include answers to the following questions:

  1. What types of medical advancements have HeLa cells contributed to? (give at least three examples)(10pts)
  2. Why did Dr. Gey use HeLa cells versus other cell lines?(10 pts)
  3. How did HeLa cells become worldwide?(10 pts)
  4. In 1951, why was it not considered “Big News” for Dr. Gey to have discovered an immortal cell?(10pts)
  • Other ideas for your response may entail new information you learned, how science is used, and your personal opinion to this nonfictional novel.(10pts)

Checklist for the rest of the paper (50pts):

Title page (Title, Name, Block #)

Paragraph form (7 sentences each paragraph)

Minimum one typed page(top to bottom, no header or title)

Double spaced

12 point, Times New Roman font

Proofread for spelling and grammar

Deadline is Monday September 21

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Part Two: Death

Please writeyour personal response to Part Two (Death) Chapters 12-22. Your essay needs to include answers to the following questions:

  1. What did Henrietta Lacks ultimately die from?(10pts)
  2. How did HeLa cells contribute to virology, especially Polio?(10pts)
  3. How did HeLa cells help standardize medical research?(10pts)
  4. What was the HeLa bomb?(10pts)
  5. What is your opinion of this quote? “Hopkins say they gave them cells away,” Lawrence yelled, “but they made millions! It’s not fair! She’s the most important person in the world and her family living in poverty. If our mother so important to science, why can’t we get health insurance?” (p. 168)(10pts)
  • Other ideas for your response may entail new information you learned, how science is used, and your personal opinion to this nonfictional novel.

Checklist for the rest of the paper (50pts):

Title page (Title, Name, Block #)

Paragraph form (7 sentences each paragraph)

Minimum onetyped page(top to bottom, no header or title)

Double spaced

12 point, Times New Roman font

Proofread for spelling and grammar

Quote is not repeated in essay

Deadline is Monday November 2

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Part Three: Immortality

Please writeyour personal response to Part Three (Immortality) Chapters 23-38. Your essay needs to include answers to the following questions:

  1. How did Henrietta’s family first find out about HeLa cells? What was their reaction?(10pts)
  2. Describe the similarities and differences between Slavin, Moore, and Lacks cells being used in scientific research.(10pts)
  3. How does this quote relate to your knowledge of evolution? “HeLa cells are evolving separately from humans, and having separate evolution is really what a species is all about.” (p.216)(10pts)
  4. Explain the importance of medical privacy, such as HIPAA. (The Afterword section of this book gives you insight into medical legal actions and history.) (10pts)
  5. On the basis of ethics, do you think you should “own” your cells?(10pts)
  • Other ideas for your response may entail new information you learned, how science is used, and your personal opinion to this nonfictional novel.

Checklist for the rest of the paper (50pts):

Title page (Title, Name, Block #)

Paragraph form (7 sentences each paragraph)

Minimum one typed page(top to bottom, no header or title)

Double spaced

12 point, Times New Roman font

Proofread for spelling and grammar

Quote is not repeated in essay

Deadline is Monday December 7