Rebecca Skloot
Rebecca Skloot (born September 19, 1972) is an American science writer. She is best known for her book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, which was published in 2010. The book details the story of Henrietta Lacks and the immortal cell line, known as HeLa cells, that came from Lacks's cervical cancer cells in 1951.
Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]
Rebecca Skloot was born in Springfield, Illinois. She is the daughter of the poet and novelist Floyd Skloot and the professional knitter Betsy McCarthy. Skloot attended Portland Community College, Oregon State University, and earned an MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of Pittsburgh.
Career[edit | edit source]
Skloot has worked as a freelance writer and has written for various publications, including The New York Times Magazine, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Discover. She has also taught creative writing and science journalism at the University of Memphis, the University of Pittsburgh, and New York University.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks[edit | edit source]
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is Skloot's first book. It took her over a decade to research and write. The book explores the life of Henrietta Lacks, the ethical issues surrounding the use of her cells, and the impact on her family. The book was critically acclaimed and became a New York Times Best Seller.
Awards and Honors[edit | edit source]
Rebecca Skloot has received numerous awards for her work, including the Wellcome Trust Book Prize, the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Award for Excellence in Science Writing, and the National Academies Communication Award.
Personal Life[edit | edit source]
Skloot currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. She is an advocate for science education and has established the Henrietta Lacks Foundation, which provides financial assistance to individuals who have made important contributions to scientific research without their knowledge or consent.
Related Pages[edit | edit source]
- Henrietta Lacks
- HeLa cells
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
- Floyd Skloot
- University of Pittsburgh
- New York University
References[edit | edit source]
External Links[edit | edit source]
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Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.- 1972 births
- Living people
- American science writers
- American women writers
- Writers from Illinois
- University of Pittsburgh alumni
- Oregon State University alumni
- Portland Community College alumni
- American non-fiction writers
- Science journalists
- American medical writers
- Women science writers
- Women medical writers
- American women journalists
- 21st-century American women writers
- 21st-century American non-fiction writers
- American people of Jewish descent
- Medicine stubs
- Encyclopedia
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
