Students gathered Friday in Dittmar Gallery to discuss Rebecca Skloot’s book, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” as part of the One Book One Northwestern program.
Since it launched in 2006, OBON has annually sent incoming freshmen a book to discuss with the greater NU community.
This year’s book explores the true story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were taken without permission and discovered to be vital for scientific breakthroughs like cloning and gene mapping. Skloot also investigates the story of Lacks’s children and the struggles they faced after discovering the truth about their mother and her miraculously multiplying HeLa cells.
Chemistry Prof. Owen Priest, OBON coordinator Nancy Cunniff and OBON student fellows led the discussion on the ethical and racial implications of Lacks’s story.
So far, the meetings have been successful in raising awareness for the program, OBON fellow and Weinberg senior Emily Gao said.
“I loved the book. I thought it was intellectually stimulating and there is a lot that you can get out of it in terms of discussion,” Weinberg freshman Imtisal Khokher said.
As a reflection of the unique characteristics of HeLa cells, OBON established a yearlong public art project encouraging students and community members to place their thumbprints on a paper scroll. Participants are asked to label their thumbprints with the first two letters of their first and last name, mimicking the naming process for HeLa cells.
The first scroll was set up in the NU Galleria in Norris University Center during Wildcat Welcome. Students on the Chicago campus were also welcomed to participate via a scroll in the Method Atrium. The final art project will be displayed at the Block Museum of Art in the spring.
“As a public art piece I’m just so pleased that people participated and it was in great shape,” Cunniff said.
The art project concept reflects the journey of HeLa cells that have been multiplied, sold and sent throughout the world, Cunniff said.
NU faculty have worked with HeLa cells at the Chicago campus. Teng-leong Chew, research professor at Feinberg, created images of a single HeLa cell used on promotional material for OBON. Next Tuesday, Chew will talk about working with HeLa cells and allow students to view the cells in an event at the Chicago campus.
OBON hopes to place scrolls throughout Evanston and NU at different times to reach all members of the community, Cunniff said. There is currently a scroll on display at Pancoe
