Transcript

Hello everyone, welcome to REAL Science Challenge, I’m Kent Lui, REAL Science teacher.

February is Black history month, and we’ll be discussing scientific contributions by individuals from the black community. Today, we breakdown

• One Nobel Prize winning contribution that scientists have taken for granted,
• and we tell you one action you can take going forward to make your world a better place.

Download our free worksheet for this episode from realsciencechallenge.com. It’s got all you need to follow along.

Let’s get going, this is REAL Science Challenge.

Intro

The Nobel Prize is one of the biggest awards in the world. Every year, one award is given to a big achievement in each of the following disciplines: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. Nobel Prizes in medicine have included stem cell research, the discovery of HIV, which causes AIDS, and the discovery of HPV, which is linked to cervical cancer.

The thing that makes me go hmmmm is that both HIV and HPV discoveries were made with the help of ongoing contributions from one individual. However, this individual has been dead since 1951.

I want you to take a few minutes and come up with 2 explanations for this phenomenon: how can one individual continue to make contributions to medicine even after they’ve died? Link your explanations to some of the science you already know. Discuss with your partner. But don’t do an internet search. I don’t want to know what Google is thinking – I want to know what you’re thinking.You can draw out and label your ideas under the Illustrate Your Science Section of our worksheet. Set your timers for 3 minutes. Pause the video. Then come back afterwards when time is up. Ready? Begin.

The Big Reveal

Welcome back! Now, the big reveal: …?

It comes down to cells, and in this case, cells grown and used in the lab called HeLa cells. HeLa cells were named after the person it was collected from, Henrietta Lacks. HeLa cells have one special quality: they can reproduce forever if basic living conditions are maintained. Thus, they are used in biological research a lot. And, it is Henrietta’s cells that were used in the Nobel prize winning studies in HIV and HPV.

However, there has been controversy surrounding HeLa cells with regards to consent. Henrietta’s cells were originally collected and used for the purpose of diagnosing and treating her cancer. But, Henrietta’s cells were also given to another researcher without Henrietta’s knowledge or consent. And, the cells have been shared widely ever since –  without her family’s consent – even after her death in 1951. Consider the following: yes, the use of Henrietta’s cells have led to a lot of medical breakthroughs. However, at a loss of privacy and at a greater risk of discrimination for Henrietta’s family. For example, in 2013, again without the knowledge of Henrietta’s family, scientists published the genomic data for HeLa cells. This data can be used to gather sensitive medical information about Henrietta’s descendants – information that could potentially be used against them – for example, by health insurance companies. So, although a lot of good can be gained when information is shared, the owner of that information still needs to provide their consent.

Where else in your everyday life have you seen something like this – where discoveries, new inventions, or corporate profit is made at the cost of a loss in people’s privacy? Write out your ideas under “Connection Corner” of our worksheet and follow the guiding questions if you need help getting started.

Direct Messages

Let’s wrap up this up with some direct messages from me to you to make your world a better place.

First, whenever you can, keep your information private. And, it’s especially important today since it is so easy to give it away when we’re on the internet or using social media platforms. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok make money by actively collecting your personal information whenever you sign up, post, or comment – but how they use your personal information and to whom they share your personal information with is unknown. So, it is entirely possible that you may not agree with how your information is used or shared by these corporations. And, it is also entirely possible that what you share today may come back to hurt you tomorrow – just consider how many people get in trouble today for a comment they posted on their profile in the past. So, do your personal world a favour, and keep your information private.

Second, change the world by geeking out. Do a deep dive into questions that may change the world. Who knows? Maybe you’ll develop materials for masks that are more effective or easier to wear – or both! It all starts by asking a question. So, what makes you go hmmm about masks or about static charge? And, what do you want to study next? Follow the templates under Question Composition on our worksheet to help you started.

Thanks for watching REAL Science Challenge. Check realsciencechallenge.com for more teaching resources related to this episode. Also, please subscribe to our channel by clicking the red button below.

Until next time, remember to keep it REAL.

Resources

Download this episode’s free worksheet by clicking the following: Ep2 – Science Never Dies