They are called HEK since they originated in human embryonic kidney cultures, while the number 293 came from Graham's habit of numbering his experiments; the original HEK 293 cell clone was from his 293rd experiment.

[link to en.wikipedia.org (secure)]

these are sick people doing this.

anyone know how they were used in the pfizer trials? and are they a part somehow of the current gene-therapy injections?