WHO WAS HENRIETTA LACKS? Juan Tucker Jr. Department of Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Cancer Research The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD HeLa Cells Biography What I Learned About the Lab

HeLa cells are used in the lab to test theories. It is Henrietta Lacks was an African‐American woman The Department of Otolaryngology and Head and used as a testing model because there is an who was born as Loretta Pleasant in Roanoke, Neck Research focuses on cancer research. For endless supply of HeLa cells. Virginia on August 1, 1920. She had a son in example, they study the difference between the 1935, a daughter in 1939, and was married in DNA in normal cells and in cancer cells. The lab 1941 to her first cousin. Henrietta Lacks moved tries to understand how cancer works so they can to Maryland and had three more children. On detect cancer early to help people. January 29, 1951, Henrietta Lacks went to Johns Otolaryngology deals with medical conditions in Hopkins Hospital where she was diagnosed with the ear, nose, and throat. cervical cancer. She died as Henrietta Lacks on October 4, 1951 at the age of 31.

About 35 people work at the lab, from 13 different countries and speak 13 different languages.

Countries: United States of America, Brazil, Japan, Philippines, Peru, Italy, Poland, Russia, Lab Safety Tips China, Israel, Mexico, Puerto Rico (U.S. Territory) Always wear gloves Ethical Issue Languages: English, Japanese, Portuguese, Wear your lab coat Hebrew, Tagalog, French, Telugu, Spanish, Italian, No food or drinks in the lab Polish, Russian, Chinese, Korean Always wash your hands When Henrietta Lacks went to receive treatment Put the gloves in the biohazard trash, not a for her cancer, Doctor. George Otto Gey stole her ’ regular trash can cells without her permission and her family s No open toe shoes permission. The HeLa cells were the first line of human cells to survive outside a human body.

Acknowledgments Henrietta Lacks’ family found out about the cells I would like to thank Dr. Mariana Brait, Dr. Elisa Guida, in 1970s. The issue became a well‐known in 1998, Simy Buckwold, and Pranathi Ganni for their guidance when a documentary about Henrietta Lacks was during my time in the lab. created. LAB RATS VS. WILD RATS Darren Davis Division of Behavioral Biology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD Introduction How are lab rats different? Types of Lab Rats Rats are very commonly used in medical laboratories to Lab rats are specially bred by companies and different Long‐evans Rat conduct different kinds of research. However, wild rats strains are available for various kinds of research. that can be found on the streets cannot be used for this These rats are absent of lethal, contagious diseases, purpose for many reasons. Laboratory rats are specially allowing researchers to work with them without much and carefully bred in an enclosed setting and different fear of catching a disease. They are also less types of lab rats are used for different kinds of research. aggressive, making them easier to handle in a lab setting.

The genetics of the lab rats of the same strain are The Long‐evans rat is most often used for diet‐induced almost all identical. So, doing research with animal Why not wild rats? obesity, nutrition, and behavior research. models allows scientists to reduce the variation of their behavior and physiology so that the data Sprague‐Dawley Rat collected are consistent without unwanted imbalances from their genetic makeup.

Lab Rat Care

The Sprague‐Dawley rat is most often used for toxicology, aging, teratology, oncology, and Wild rats such as those found in the corners of homes nutrition research. or in the sewers can carry diseases that would be very harmful to a human being. One bite may be enough to Zucker Rat cause a person to catch a deadly disease and so these rats would not be safe to use in a lab setting. Also, these rats could be more aggressive and difficult to handle to do research. Trying to use these kinds of rats All lab rats must be carefully taken care of as any would cost more energy and time than needed. Lastly, mishandling is against the policies for lab animal care these rats cannot serve as models because nothing is and can negatively affect the data to be collected. A known about them. In order to do research, certain common cage is shown above and it allows for feeding established animal models, with their genetic and and providing water for their welfare. Enrichment such physiological background known, must be used to as a toy bone or small tunnel is also often provided. The Zucker rat is specifically for genetic obesity prevent massive variations in data. and type 2 diabetes research.

Acknowledgments Conclusion

I would like to thank Dr. Catherine Davis and Josh Kang During my time in the lab, I learned how to take care of and handle rats in a laboratory setting, how to analyze data ’ for their guidance during my time in the lab. using programs such as Microsoft Excel, and how to control the diet and food intake to optimize rats performance for certain behavioral tests. HE GALLBLADDER T Destiny Hines Department of Surgical Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD What is the gallbladder? Dr. Timothy M. Pawlik Dr. Pawlik received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University in 1987-1991 and he got his medical degree from tufts University School of Medicine in 1991-1995. p He completed his surgical training at the University of Michigan and he spent two years at the Massachusetts General Hospital as a surgical oncology research fellow. Dr. Pawlik went on for advanced training in surgical oncology at the University Some Diseases That May Develop of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in The small sac‐shape organ beneath the Houston from 2002-2005. His main clinical Gallbladder liver Cholecystitis Gallbladder interests include alimentary tract surgery , Polyps where bile is stored after secretion by the Inflammation of Cancer with a special interest in hepatic and Lining of the liver and before release into the intestine. the gallbladder Symptoms: Pancreatobiliary diseases. Dr. Pawlik also gallbladder Location Symptoms: Pain has an interest in medical ethics and Symptoms: Fevers Fever completed a fellowship in medical ethics at Under the liver on the right side of the Pain Pain Vomiting the Harvard school of public in 1998-2000 of abdomen Swelling Weight lost health as well as a masters in Theology from Function Nausea To store and concentrate bile Harvard Divinity School in Boston. Then Dr. What I've Learned From Dr. Pawlik Pawlik came to Baltimore to be a general The Importance of Bile surgeon at Johns Hopkins University Medical Bile is a bitter greenish‐brown color fluid Dr. Pawlik is a wonderful surgeon. He will talk to you aboutSchool. your health and tell you that aids digestion and is secreted by the what's going on with your body like why you are having so many symptoms. Dr. liver. Pawlik talked to me about the gallbladder, which is something I never knew we had It helps break down fats into fatty acids, in our body. The gallbladder is a sac‐shape organ beneath the liver. There are which can be taken into the body by the different types of diseases that can develop in the gallbladder. Some of the diseases digestive tract. are called gallbladder cancer, and cholecystitis. They can damage the organ in your body and you may experience weight loss, pain, and swelling. Dr. Pawlik let me go inside the OR to learn about the gallbladder, the liver and the pancreas. I was taken Thank You Dr. PawlikT and down to the pathology lab to see if the specimen was positive or negative for Shannon Otto for cancer. Based on the results, the patient has to be treated with chemotherapy or everything. radiation after the surgery. WHAT IS NEUROSCIENCE? Elizabeth Scriber Institute for Cell Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD The Brain The Neuron Western Blot The neuron can be compared to a mermaid, Ariel, Western blots are used to test for a specific amount of Frontal Lobe Parietal Lobe as shown below. protein. The steps of a western blot are:  Making decisions  Touch   Forms personality Taste 1. Heat the protein samples at 95 degrees Celsius.   Dendrites Involved in Temperature 2. Centrifuge the samples for 30 seconds. planning Nucleus 3. Run the samples on the gel for one hour. Match Cell the electric cables and put the lid on. Body/Soma 4. Transfer the gel on to the membrane.

Schwann Cell

Axon

The dendrites receive signals, like Ariel ’ s antennae. The cell body canbecomparedto Parts of the Brain Ariel’s abdomen. The nucleus contains DNA and gene information. Schwann cells make the cell Occipital Lobe Temporal Lobe signal move faster. The axon carries the cell signal  Seeing  Hearing down, like Ariel’s tail.  Sound  Speech Brain Myths Myth: Your brain shape determines your characteristics Cerebellum (phrenology).  Balance Myth: You only use 10% of your  Posture brain.  Coordination Myth: Drinking alcohol kills brain cells (BUT…)

Acknowledgments Conclusion

Special thanks to Dr. Kimberly Christian, Dr. Yijing Su, During my time at the lab, I learned about basic microbiology lab techniques such as Western Blots, maxi Sabrina Wang, and the Song Lab. preparations, and PCR. I also learned basic neuroscience, pipetting skills, physics and chemistry knowledge, including how to determine concentrations and how centrifuges work.