Honoring Henrietta Lacks' legacy at Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University broke ground Monday on its newest multidisciplinary space, and it will be named for Henrietta Lacks.

“Today we make a concrete commitment to ensure that Henrietta Lacks’ name will be as immortal as her cells," says Ron Daniels, president of The Johns Hopkins University.

The building will support programs in the Berman Institute for Bioethics, the School of Medicine, and other divisions of the university.

"The breadth and depth of our work will expand with this new building," says Jeffrey Kahn, the director of the Bioethics Institute. "And its dedication to Henrietta Lacks is an important reminder of the need for ethics, equity, responsible science, and community-engaged research.”

WMAR-2 News/Kristi Harper

"We acknowledge more than the scientific contributions made possible by her cells," says one of Lacks' granddaughters, Jeri Lacks Whye. "We also acknowledge the story of a Black woman who did not live to see the world that her cells helped to create — a story that for too long was hidden. Our hope is that this building will continue to shed light on her legacy.”

The building will be located on the East Baltimore campus of Johns Hopkins University and will also have flexible program and classroom space.

The university expects construction to be completed in 2026.