Monet Roberts receives inaugural Henrietta Lacks Legacy award

Monet Roberts, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, has been awarded the inaugural Henrietta Lacks Legacy Award by Young Doctors Roanoke.

Lacks, who was a Roanoke native, is known as the “Mother of Modern Medicine” because her cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first and most important cell line in medical research. The award is specifically for researchers of color who have and are making important, innovative strides in improving the health of people using HeLa cells.

"Once I got the approval from the Lacks family to name the award after their beloved, I knew I wanted Dr. Roberts to be the first recipient of this auspicious award and Lacks family members agreed," said Marion Ware, co-charter member of Young Doctors Roanoke.

As founder of the Roberts Glyco-Diversity Lab, Roberts has used the HeLa cell in her research, describing her lab’s mission as "to generate creative approaches in understanding mechanisms in cancer and neurological disorders to mitigate their impact through the lens of the glycocalyx with rigorous and meaningful science, collaborations, and integrity as well as being respectful of those who are doing the science, those who we impact, and the diverse identities in between and beyond."

But it was more than research that made Roberts the perfect candidate to be the first recipient of the award.

Continuing a historical legacy

Lacks was a giving and nurturing woman who loved her family and community. She also had a love for youth, as kids just really took to her. Roberts shares in that desire to connect with and young people, especially girls of color who want to pursue health careers. 

"Last May, in remembrance of Henrietta Lacks Day, I held an event, Henrietta's Health Boutique in Roanoke. There were 15 young Black girls who have interest in health and medicine in attendance. Dr. Roberts was one of the doctors who participated. Her energy, knowledge, and love of her important work really resonated with the young ladies," Ware said. "She was so gracious with her time and many talents. I knew Dr. Roberts was the perfect choice to receive the Henrietta Lacks Legacy Award. As the first recipient of this award, she will play a huge role in our future search and selection committee for our future nominees.”

The award was presented to Roberts during ‘Giving Them Their Flowers: An Evening of Honoring Legends and Leaders of Science and Medicine’ gala held Feb. 17 in Roanoke.

The event served as a fundraiser for the Young Doctors Roanoke organization, a “multigenerational mentoring, education, and pipeline to health careers program for boys of color with chapters in Washington, D.C., Roanoke, and Brooklyn, New York.” The group focuses on providing ‘young doctors’ with training in preventive medicine, mental health, and overall health issues with a primary focus on underserved communities.

While the Lacks family was unable to attend in person, Henrietta’s granddaughter Jeri Lacks Whye, who is with the National Institutes of Health group that oversees the acceptance and usage of her grandmother's genome, wrote a personal message of congratulations. The award was presented by Roanoke artist Bryce Cobb, whose concept drawing was used as the reference for Blacksburg-based sculptor Larry Bechtel’s recently unveiled statue of Lacks in downtown Roanoke.

“We must continue to sow into those coming behind us and keep the legacy going. We are rooted and standing in legacy, so let's continue to pass it on,” Roberts posted on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter.