Gey, Coffman and Kubicek: continuous culture of the HeLa cervical-carcinoma strain

What changed

A continuously propagating human cancer-cell strain was available for laboratory research.

Scientific scope

Gey, Coffman and Kubicek's 1952 note; tissue donor Henrietta Lacks, later distribution and uses distinct.

Evidence

The linked sources identify this contribution and its scope. WRS has not independently reconstructed the scientific claims. The record is the exact 1952 Cancer Research proceedings paper. Henrietta Lacks’s tissue contribution, the absence of her knowledge or consent, later HeLa distribution, cell-line applications and subsequent discoveries remain separate.

Contributors

• George Otto Gey · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.
• Ward D. Coffman · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.
• Mary Toye Kubicek · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.

• Cellosaurus publication record for Gey, Coffman and Kubicek
• Cancer Research volume 12 issue 4
• NIH–Lacks Family Agreement and HeLa history

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

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