Marie Curie (Henrietta Lacks)

Marie Curie was a pioneering scientist who studied radioactivity, discovering elements like polonium and radium, which advanced medicine and science. Her work laid the foundation for cancer treatments and earned her two Nobel Prizes. Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman whose cancer cells were taken without her permission in 1951, leading to the first immortal human cell line, known as HeLa. Her cells have significantly contributed to medical research, including vaccines and cancer treatments. Both women made enduring impacts on science and healthcare—Curie through her discoveries, and Lacks through her biological contribution that continues to benefit medicine.