Chapter 197 Foreign Bodhisattvas chant sutras
In Hong Kong movies, the police are called "sir", but in addition, there is another group of people who are also called "sir", that is, teachers.
So when you meet Sir Fang, Sir Huang and Sir Huo on the streets of Hong Kong, it is very likely that they are not Officer Fang, Officer Huang and Officer Huo, but Mr. Fang, Mr. Huang and Mr. Huo.
If it had been a hundred or two hundred years earlier, you might have met Master Fang, Master Huang and Master Huo.
In scientific research projects, as the project leader, there is absolutely nothing wrong with calling the experimenter "sir" when addressing him.
Faced with the overwhelming atmosphere of resentment, neither Professor Shi nor Zhang Wei panicked. Both of them remained calm.
Professor Shi was the first to speak: "Mr. Zhang is only twenty years old this year, but he has already achieved world-class scientific research results in the field of biology. This time he came to us as a visiting scholar, and it is one of the many times I have The results after the invitation.
Mr. Zhang will work with us in the next period of time. This is also a rare opportunity for you. I hope you can seize this opportunity and communicate with Mr. Zhang more. "
As soon as Professor Shi finished speaking, someone asked impatiently: "Professor Shi, what world-class scientific research achievements has Mr. Zhang achieved?"
The tone of this person's voice. Full of irritation and dissatisfaction, he was obviously questioning Professor Shi.
Professor Shi smiled politely and said, "Robert, I remember your doctoral thesis was about research on in vivo imaging of mRNA, right? Then you must have read Mr. Zhang's thesis.
< br>A few months ago, there was a paper in the journal "Science" that used nucleoside modification to break through the immune system of cells. You should have read it."
"I seem to have it! Impression." Robert nodded.
"Then let me remind you again. The paper finally proposed that this method can be used as a basis to develop a brand new vaccine, an mRNA vaccine. You should remember it now, right?"
When it comes to the mRNA vaccine, Robert immediately showed an expression of enlightenment. Compared with nucleoside modification technology, mRNA vaccines are indeed more impressive.
Professor Shi continued: "The author of that paper is Mr. Zhang, who invented nucleoside modification technology."
"I remembered that the author of that paper is indeed a Chinese , I didn’t care what his name was at that time, it turned out to be Mr. Zhang!”
Robert showed a relieved expression. He had studied related topics and knew that nucleoside modification technology was good. It is a world-class scientific research achievement, at least it cannot be produced at my own level.
Robert has no objection to being able to achieve this level of scientific research results at such a young age, and to come to Princeton University to take charge of a project alone.
However, Robert has no objections, which does not mean that others have no objections as well. At present, the mRNA vaccine is just an idea and has not entered into actual research. It is still far away from its actual application.
So there are still many people who are not convinced by Zhang Wei's heart or words.
Princeton University produces many world-class scientific research results every year. Although you have produced world-class scientific research results, they can only be regarded as the normal level of Princeton University.
You, this foreign monk, are no better than the local monks. We are all at the same level. Why should you be allowed to preside over a land and water conference?
Professor Shi continued: "Nucleoside modification is only one of Mr. Zhang's research results. Mr. Zhang also has another scientific research result, which I believe everyone here knows. I can give you some tips, It’s about gene editing.”
“Is it possible that the gene scissors that have become so popular recently were made by Mr. Zhang?”
A voice sounded, but the tone of this voice was not a guess, but more like a ridicule.
"You are right, the genetic scissors technology was developed by Mr. Zhang." Professor Shi nodded seriously.
"What? Did he make the genetic scissors?"
The person who was still teasing just now had a shocked expression. Then, he lowered his head to cover up his embarrassment and shame.
Compared with previous nucleoside modifications, genetic scissors technology is much more famous. In the field of molecular biology, many scientific research projects are related to gene editing, so genetic scissors technology will inevitably be used.
And not long ago, many scientific research institutions in the United States, including Princeton University, sent people to China to inspect or purchase this technology, so every experimenter on site knew the importance of genetic scissors.
After learning about the technology of genetic scissors, everyone instinctively thought that the person who could develop such awesome results must be an experienced scholar.
Even if you are not the kind of person who is in his fifties or sixties and has been a mainstay in scientific research for a lifetime, he must be a backbone like Professor Shi who is in his prime and whose mind and energy are at the peak.
However, no one could have imagined that the person who developed the genetic scissors was actually a twenty-year-old young man, younger than everyone present!
Just now, because Zhang Wei was young, everyone was full of disdain for him. They felt that someone with whom he was a relative had come, and even resented him.
At this moment, it was precisely because of Zhang Wei's youth that they felt completely shocked!
"Did Professor Shi just say how old he is?"
"It seems to be twenty years old, right?"
"Is it exactly twenty years old? No. More than 20 years old? ”
“Professor Shi said 20 years old!”
"Oh my God! At the age of twenty, you can make such a revolutionary scientific research achievement as genetic scissors! This is incredible!"
"When I was twenty years old, I had just entered university. , he is already a top scholar in the world at the age of twenty.”
“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that the person who developed the genetic scissors technology was a young man who was only twenty years old. !”
“In addition to genetic scissors, he also developed the nucleoside modification technology. Is this the legendary genius scholar?”
“Almost everyone at Princeton University. They are all called geniuses, but today I finally saw what true genius is!”
In the field of scientific research, age is the most lethal weapon. Almost every scientist will eventually lose to time.
Too many scientists, when they die, still have many great ideas in their minds but have no chance to implement them.
Every scientist’s regret before his death is that he failed to bring a certain scientific research result to the world. On their deathbed, they may think, how wonderful it would be if they gave him another ten or twenty years!
A young scientist means that he has more time to display his ideals, realize his ambitions, and share his greatness with the world.
For someone like Zhang Wei, who can produce scientific research results of the level of genetic scissors at the age of nearly 20, then his life can already be related to greatness.
It is no exaggeration to say that as long as he can maintain the scientific research progress of a normal scientist, the adjective "great" will inevitably come to him.
At first, everyone was still wondering what this foreign monk was capable of, but now they know that this is not a foreign monk, but a foreign Bodhisattva!
Here comes a fairy!
When I learned that Zhang Wei was the inventor of genetic scissors, the negative emotions surrounding him were instantly swept away, replaced by envy, admiration and worship. When faced with a being who is much better than you, smart people will often send flowers and applause. Since others are better than you, then acknowledging others' excellence means acknowledging the fact, and bowing to the fact is not a shameful thing.
However, stupid people will send vitriolic words and find ways to belittle the other party even if they cannot improve themselves. For them, admitting that others are better than themselves is an extremely difficult thing.
For example, this is the case in a mysterious eastern country. The one I am talking about here has an average IQ of 76.
......
The change in everyone's expressions fell into Professor Shi's eyes, and he nodded with satisfaction.
Professor Shi then continued: "The project Mr. Zhang is working on in our department is his new project after the genetic scissors. Next, please introduce Mr. Zhang to the new project he is about to start!"
After Professor Shi finished speaking, he took the lead in applauding, and warm applause followed. This time, the applause was not like the coping action when welcoming Zhang Wei just now. Everyone applauded Zhang Wei sincerely.
And almost everyone showed an expectant expression. Everyone wanted to know what kind of new project the inventor of genetic scissors would come up with.
Zhang Wei cleared his throat and said, "Everyone should be familiar with stem cells, right? You should also be familiar with embryonic stem cells, right? What we are planning to do this time is to replace embryonic stem cells.
I know that many scientific research institutions around the world, including Princeton University, are doing similar projects, but the project I want to do is different from others.
I will use my research institute. The genetic scissors technology developed uses transgenic methods to induce embryonic stem cell substitutes
I won’t go into details about the specific scientific research ideas here. If you are interested in this project, you can join my project team and we can study it together.
Or come and read my thesis after the project is completed. You are also welcome to point out the errors and provide more comments and suggestions!
If you want to join my project team, you can sign up directly with me. The second room on the right at the top of the stairs on this floor is my room. Of course I need to ask you some questions, which is considered an interview. ”
After Zhang Wei finished speaking, a group of experimenters immediately began to discuss the prospects and feasibility of this project in low voices.
Of course there is no need to say more about the prospects of the project. There are so many scientific research institutions around the world. All are developing substitutes for embryonic stem cells, which means that the prospects of this project are very broad
As for feasibility, it is a matter of opinion. And even if it is feasible, it is only the first step and there is still a long way to go before success!
To put it another way, all the scientific research institutions around the world that are studying this project must have feasible plans, otherwise they would not have received funding to initiate the project. But so far, no scientific research institution has been able to develop a substitute for embryonic stem cells.
......
To Zhang Wei's surprise, that afternoon, several people came to Zhang Wei to sign up, including an assistant professor. The scientific researchers at Princeton University are much more enthusiastic than the graduate students at Tsinghua University.
In Chinese universities, in addition to teaching, assistant professors may also serve as teaching assistants, class teachers, counselors, etc. Besides the complicated work, finding time to do some scientific research is a bit like snake oil.
In American universities, assistant professors are a new force, doing the most forward-looking work at the academic frontier, and most of them have their own topics.
But there are also a few assistant professors who have no projects. In this case, either the resources have not yet been allocated to them, or they have messed up the projects and lost the trust of their leaders.
If it is the former, the situation is better. If you wait patiently, the resources will always be distributed to you. If it is the latter, it will be more miserable.
Assistant professor in American universities is actually a probationary position. There is a probation period of three to seven years. After the probation period, if the level is good, you will be promoted to associate professor. Otherwise, your employment will be terminated. Just losing your job.
Associate professors and above are tenure-track positions, that is, no matter which university you go to, you are an associate professor or professor, and you do not need to start as an assistant professor.
This can be regarded as a professional title in China. Once it is awarded, it will last a lifetime. It's just that the professional titles in China start from the junior level, followed by intermediate, deputy senior, and senior, all of which last a lifetime. In the United States, only starting from associate professor can last a lifetime.
The assistant professor who signed up had messed up something before and lost the trust of his leader. He wanted to turn around through Zhang Wei's project.
His name is Sam, which sounds like a very honest name. His academic qualifications also seem to be very impressive. He received his undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University, his master's and doctorate degrees from Stanford University, and then conducted postdoctoral research at Mayo Medical Group. Since 2001, he has served as an assistant professor at Princeton University. < br>
For this poor guy, Zhang Wei is willing to give him a chance. Anyone who can enter Princeton University as an assistant professor is definitely not an ordinary person, and his academic ability must not be very poor.
But before that, he had to ask Professor Shi what on earth this guy had committed.
...
"Sam actually went to your place to sign up?" Professor Shi was startled for a moment, then showed a look of realization, and then said: "It seems that Sam still refuses to accept the reality! He still wants to apply again." Give it a try."
"What's wrong with this Sam?" Zhang Wei asked.
"How should I put it? There is no problem with this guy's academic ability and his work attitude is very serious, but he is unlucky."
"Unlucky? How exactly is he unlucky?"
"I remember he came to Stanford in 2001. At that time, I had just been promoted from assistant professor to associate professor, and he happened to fill my vacancy.
He had worked at Mayo Medical Group before, so he just came here Princeton got a project related to cancer, but he was unlucky. As soon as the project started, he encountered 911, and his brother was unfortunately killed.
That incident hit him hard. He took a half-year vacation, but the project was waiting for someone else. When he came back, the project had already been assigned to someone else," Professor Shi explained.
“This was an accident and not his responsibility.”
“The school thought so at the time, so when he came back, it gave him a second chance to study another A topic. As a result, that winter, the entire New York State suffered a heavy rain that had not occurred in decades, causing many power facilities to be damaged.
In our Department of Molecular Biology, half of the building also had a power outage. Unfortunately, Sam's laboratory was within the scope of the power outage. All his experimental samples were damaged because the refrigerator could not operate after the power outage, and the entire experimental project failed. "
"This is quite unfortunate, but it is a natural disaster and is not his responsibility! ”
“So there is a third thing. "Professor Shi said, sighing helplessly, and continued: "In 2003, the school gave him another opportunity and asked him to take charge of a topic in a large project.
This time he completed the entire project, but the day before submitting the project report, his computer was infected with a virus. He kept restarting, and eventually the entire system crashed and burned out the hard drive. All experiments All the data is gone. "
"Uh..." Zhang Wei was speechless for a moment. This was the first time he had seen such an unlucky scientist. I'm afraid this guy didn't do too many immoral things in his previous life. He must be possessed by a degenerate spirit in this life. !
Professor Shi continued: "Luck is also an important factor in the success of scientific research. Many scientists are actually very superstitious about luck. For unlucky people like Sam, everyone is worried that it will bring bad luck to themselves. Over time, they will The project will not take him with him.”
Hearing that American scientists were also very superstitious, Zhang Wei laughed to himself.
“The end of science is metaphysics? This is how I deceived people in China. I didn’t expect American scientists to believe this too! Now it’s easy to handle, I can continue to deceive Americans with this trick. !”
Thinking of this, Zhang Wei asked: “Brother, which temple is more popular in the United States?”
(End of this chapter)