Chapter 144: A Little Test
In the Biology Department Laboratory, Zhang Wei has changed into a white coat, put on a hood, mask and goggles.
Several graduate students gathered around and looked at Zhang Wei curiously.
"Who is the classmate that Director Meng brought? He looks quite unfamiliar! He shouldn't be from our department, right?"
"Of course not from our department. He is Zhang Great!”
"Which Zhang Wei? I know several people named Zhang Wei."
"It's the Zhang Wei who invented graphene. In April, several waves of leaders came to inspect, and they were all in conflict with He’s here, there’s a photo on the school’s official website!”
“It’s him! What’s he doing in our biology department? As far as I know, graphene has nothing to do with our biology department!”
"Looking at this posture, it looks like we are going to do an experiment, right? Isn't graphene made of carbon? I haven't heard that it is a biological material!"
While everyone around was whispering, Zhang Wei was already He stood in front of a flow cytometer and said, "I'll just do a flow cytometry!"
"You want to do flow cytometry? Are you sure? Although this experimental operation is basic, it cannot be done without training." Meng Heming said.
"Then let me show you how to use a microscope? Or observe individual oral epithelial cells?" Zhang Wei asked with a smile.
Meng Heming's face darkened, what do you mean? This is the laboratory of the Biology Department of Tsinghua University. Do you think this is a junior high school biology class?
Zhang Wei continued: "Director Meng, if I really performed this, I wouldn't be able to pass your level! Okay, let's do the flow cytometry!"
< br>Flow cytometry is a technique for rapid detection and analysis of single cells in a fluid stream. This is an efficient experimental method, but its operation is complex and requires professional training and experience to accurately set experimental parameters and interpret data.
Zhang Wei looked at a graduate student next to him and said, "Prepare a sample for me. I want to prepare a single-cell suspension!"
The graduate student looked at Meng Heming, and Meng Heming said, "Just follow what he said. !”
The graduate student immediately took a sample and said, “This is a mouse lymph node sample. Are these enough?”
“It’s more than enough.” After receiving the sample, we immediately started processing it.
“Give me saline!”
"Give me the enzyme digestion solution!"
"Give me the phosphate buffer!"
"Where's the cell counter!"
I took the cell counter and measured it. Zhang Wei began to adjust the cell density and quickly reached the experimental requirements.
Meng Heming, who was watching from the side, nodded slightly. Zhang Wei's operation seemed to be decent.
However, the preparation of single cell suspension is only the most basic step of flow cytometry. The real difficulty is the subsequent data analysis and analysis.
At this time, Zhang Wei had turned on the flow cytometer and performed system preheating and calibration.
"I'm just demonstrating the experimental steps, the laser calibration of the flow cytometer, the gain and compensation of the photoelectric tube, I just set it up casually."
Zhang Wei said and started to In one step, the processed sample is introduced into the flow chamber through the flow cytometer's sampling system.
The next data parsing and analysis is the main difficulty of this operation, because the data generated by flow cytometry is very large and complex. During data analysis, it is necessary to adjust the gate and valve. Value, useful cell subpopulations are selected from numerous cell populations for analysis, so that the required experimental data can be obtained.
However, for Zhang Wei, these operations are not difficult. After all, flow cytometry is widely used in testing, such as the inspection and quarantine of poultry and livestock.
It didn’t take long for Zhang Wei to complete the entire set of flow cytometry operations.
"Very skilled! Like a seasoned player, he can't reach this level in just a few years!" Meng Heming looked at Zhang Wei in surprise again.
“The operational proficiency of many graduate students here may not be as good as his. As a freshman, where did he learn this kind of operation?
By the way, he probably didn’t come here. Did you go to the biology department laboratory? Who taught him these operations and the use of equipment?”
Zhang Wei's ability to operate physical experiments was average, but Zhang Wei was definitely good at operating biological experiments. After all, this was what he relied on for food in his previous life.
How to carry the rice bowl, only if you are familiar with it!
The graduate students watching around also had surprised expressions at this time.
“His flow cytometry operation feels smoother than mine!”
“Studying graphene is within the scope of physics, and physical experiments require the use of flow cytometry. Cytology? ”
"What are you thinking about! How can flow cytometry be used in physical experiments!"
"Then why does he know how to operate flow cytometry? And he is quite proficient! If there is no one with more than three years His experimental skills cannot reach this level!”
At this time, Zhang Wei had already cleaned up the test bench and came to Meng Heming’s side.
"Director Meng, am I good enough to come to the laboratory?" Zhang Wei asked with a smile.
The shock on Meng Heming's face did not fade at all. He could only smile to cover up his embarrassment.
"I have finally seen that there are real geniuses in this world!" Meng Heming thought to himself.
Zhang Weize continued: "Director Meng, I will start project research later, and you can pair me with two more graduate students!" "No problem, I don't have anything else here, just graduate students! Here you go! You three!" Meng Heming said without hesitation.
......
After showing off a wave of experimental operations in the biology department, Zhang Wei returned to Principal Gu.
"Have you reached an agreement with Lao Mengdu?" Principal Gu asked.
“It’s settled, he will match me with three graduate students!” Zhang Wei replied.
“It’s the first time for a college student and three graduate students to conduct experiments at Tsinghua University.” President Gu paused and continued: “Since you have decided, then I will According to your project, I reported it to my superiors!"
"Thank you, principal, but when will this scientific research funding be available?" Zhang Wei asked.
“Are you anxious to do the experiment?” Principal Gu asked with a smile.
"I can't wait to start doing experiments tomorrow!"
"Not so soon. It's possible starting next Monday!" Principal Gu replied.
"The funds will be approved next Monday? So soon? Didn't you say before that the fastest would be around New Year's Day?"
"The funds can't be so fast! There is still some turnover in the school If you are in a hurry to do experiments, I will ask the finance department to grant you part of the funds so that you can start the experiments first. You will then pay back the money when the funds are received!”
Zhang Wei nodded: "Next Monday is not bad either. If I'm lucky and the experiment progresses quickly, I might have results before the funds come in at the end of the year!"
Principal Gu said earnestly: "Doing scientific research is not as simple as you say! Science must respect objective facts and must be done step by step. Don't be impatient. You can't eat hot tofu if you are impatient. When doing scientific research, you still have to do it. Calm down and take it one step at a time.”
Zhang Wei thanked him again and said goodbye.
Looking at Zhang Wei’s leaving figure, a faint smile appeared on Principal Gu’s face.
Principal Gu is actually not optimistic about the project proposed by Zhang Wei this time.
As Meng Heming said before, the project of inhibiting RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors has many research directions. It is a big project, and it is not easy to produce results.
Therefore, Principal Gu did not expect Zhang Wei to really produce much results.
Principal Gu even hoped that Zhang Wei's research would not go well and would eventually lead to nothing.
This is not because Principal Gu is evil-hearted, but because he wants to take this opportunity to hone Zhang Wei's character.
Principal Gu feels that Zhang Wei, who has achieved such level of scientific research results at such a young age, will inevitably become impetuous and stretch his tail to the sky.
For scientists, this is a big no-no!
Scientific research needs to follow the objective laws of the operation of things. If you want to obtain a scientific research result, you must proceed step by step. Opportunism is obviously not feasible.
Principal Gu hopes that Zhang Wei can learn lessons after experiencing setbacks, truly concentrate on doing research, grow into a real scientist, and eventually become a leader in the domestic scientific field.
In Principal Gu's view, in order for a national leader of Zhang Wei's level to grow, it is not a big deal to spend the scientific research funds of one or two projects as tuition.
The top scientists cannot be measured by money. It is worthwhile to spend all the scientific research funds of Tsinghua University to cultivate one of the world's top scientists for the country.
If money could buy Einstein, I believe many countries would be willing to spend their treasury on it!
...
After leaving Principal Gu’s office, Zhang Wei also smiled happily.
He said that he would be able to produce results before the funds come in at the end of the year. He was not lying. After all, he did not need to re-research. He only needed to re-do an experiment according to the content of the paper, and then use his experimental data again. Paste it on the paper and you can publish it.
The title of the paper Zhang Wei copied this time is: Inhibition of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors: the impact of nucleoside modifications and the evolutionary origin of RNA.
This contains three levels of meaning. The first one is the inhibition of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors, which is the topic Zhang Wei applied for.
The second is the impact of nucleoside modifications, which was studied within the framework of inhibition of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors.
That is to say, through the study of Toll-like receptor inhibition of RNA recognition, the influence of nucleoside modification was discovered.
The third level of the paper is the evolutionary origin of RNA.
The most important of these three levels is actually the impact of nucleoside modification. It was this part of the research that ultimately won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
When Zhang Wei was conducting experiments, the most important thing was to do experiments on nucleoside modification.
But when applying for scientific research projects, Zhang Wei did not dare to mention even half a word of nucleoside modification.
If it is stated clearly that nucleoside modification is required, it is equivalent to directly clarifying which path can be taken to win the Nobel Prize.
Zhang Wei hasn't done the experiment yet. He pointed out the road first. What if someone runs up there in advance?
So when applying for the project, Zhang Wei only mentioned the research on the inhibition of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors.
More than twenty Toll-like receptors, who knows which one Zhang Wei wants to study? Who knows how far to go? Who knows how much can be researched in the end?
Just looking at this research topic, no one would have thought that it would result in a Nobel Prize!
(End of this chapter)