They’re all reborn, what’s wrong with being a little more almighty?

Chapter 143: Bringing money and projects, I asked you if you want it?

There was a knock on the door, and the principal's secretary brought Meng Heming, the director of the Department of Biological Sciences and Technology, into Principal Gu's office.

Meng Heming took a look and saw that there was a young man in the room who looked familiar. He should be a student of his school, but he forgot where he had seen him.

"Lao Meng, let me introduce to you, this is Zhang Wei, the same Zhang Wei who invented graphene!" Principal Gu introduced.

"It turns out it's him! No wonder he looks familiar. There was news about him on the school website a few days ago. I've seen his photo." Meng Heming nodded suddenly.

"Hello, Director Meng, I've heard about this famous name for a long time, and today I finally met him in person!" Zhang Wei smiled and stepped forward to shake hands with Meng Heming.

Principal Gu continued: "Lao Meng, I have a scientific research project here, which is your major. I don't have a deep understanding of biological sciences, so I asked you to come over and help check it!"

Principal Gu handed Zhang Wei's project application to Meng Heming. Meng Heming frowned when he saw the project.

"Research on the inhibition of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors? Our department did not apply for this project! All project applications in the department must be approved by me. What kind of guy with no eyesight reported the project directly to the principal? Come? Who is so bold? You are clearly challenging my authority! Are you trying to take my position?"

For a moment, Meng Heming had various thoughts in his heart.

The study of RNA inhibition is to intervene in the person who copies and passes the recipes, thereby changing the final dishes cooked in the kitchen, which is equivalent to changing the protein produced by ribosomes. "

Principal Gu nodded: "I understand, then what is the purpose of studying RNA inhibition?"

"The study of RNA inhibition can be used to regulate gene expression and will play a very important role in the treatment of many diseases!

For example, in the treatment of cancer, RNA inhibition technology can be used to inhibit the RNA of cancer cells and block the production of proteins by cancer cells, so that cancer cells will not grow and spread.

"Then has our school conducted any research in this area?" Principal Gu asked again.

Then someone is needed to copy the recipe for scrambled eggs with tomatoes and send it to the kitchen. The person responsible for copying the recipe and sending it to the kitchen is RNA.

After hearing Principal Gu's explanation, Meng Heming breathed a sigh of relief, and then began to look at this topic carefully.

If an organism needs another kind of protein, it is equivalent to changing a dish, instead of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, but spicy and sour shredded potatoes, then the cells will repeat the process, copying the recipe from the DNA, and sending the RNA to the kitchen. , and then the ribosomes stir-fry to generate new proteins.

The genetic information of organisms will pass from DNA, through RNA, to the ribosomes, and then the ribosomes will synthesize various proteins needed by organisms.

This is equivalent to breaking the legs of the person passing the dishes. If the recipes cannot be sent to the kitchen, the kitchen will not be able to copy the dishes, and the cells will starve to death. This is the principle behind many targeted drugs. "Meng Heming replied.

For example, let's compare the process of protein production to stir-frying. If you need to fry a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, you must first find the recipe. This recipe is DNA.

Meng Heming nodded: "First of all, I want to start with NDA and RNA. DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid, and RNA is ribonucleic acid. They are different in structure, basic units, bases, functions, and distribution.

The kitchen is the ribosome. They will fry this plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes according to the recipe provided by RNA. This scrambled eggs with tomatoes can be regarded as the protein needed by living things.

But in the past five or six years, this research has become a relatively popular project internationally, mainly because in 1998, some scientists discovered the RNA interference mechanism, which gave RNA inhibition research a new direction. "

DNA is distributed in the nucleus and its main function is to store and transmit genetic information; RNA is stored in the cytoplasm and its main function is to transcribe and translate genetic information.

"Please briefly introduce to me the content of this research!" Principal Gu said.

Meng Heming answered: "There is still a long way to go from the research on RNA inhibition to its actual application in the medical field, but like most theoretical research, studying RNA inhibition is of great significance."

Principal Gu seemed to see Meng Heming's concerns, and he explained: "Don't worry, this project application was not proposed by someone from your department. I asked you to come here to analyze this research project."

"Principal, the study of RNA inhibition is not a new topic in the fields of biology and medicine. Foreign scientists have been studying it for more than ten years.

"In other words, it is mainly used in the medical field?" Principal Gu nodded suddenly.

"Yes, yes, but the progress and results of research are definitely not as good as those of Western developed countries. In the field of biological sciences, there is indeed a gap between us and developed countries." Meng Heming said.

Principal Gu nodded. This answer was not surprising. It was 2004 after all, and China's scientific research lagged far behind that of the West, especially basic science research.

"Then what is the Toll-like receptor in this topic? What impact will it have on RNA inhibition?" Principal Gu asked again.

Meng Heming explained: "Toll-like receptors are protein molecules and are pattern recognition receptors. They play a vital role in the immune system.

When foreign pathogens break through the body's physical barriers, such as skin or mucous membranes, Toll-like receptors can quickly recognize them and initiate an early response against the invading pathogen.

After an organism receives a signal from a Toll-like receptor, it will immediately activate its own immune system. This means that Toll-like receptors are the first line of defense against pathogen invasion. Let's put it this way, Toll-like receptors are like sentries on the border in the cellular immune system. Once an enemy invasion is detected, an alarm will be issued immediately, allowing troops to be sent to the rear to resist the enemy. "

"So, the research on the inhibition of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors should be related to immunology?" Principal Gu immediately understood.

Meng Heming nodded: "It's mainly immunology! Of course, if there are major discoveries, research in other directions will also benefit!"

"Have we conducted any research on the inhibition of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors?" Principal Gu asked again.

"Yes, there are, but they are all relatively one-sided and not very detailed. Because there are more than 20 types of Toll-like receptors, each of which can recognize different molecular patterns of pathogens. Some of them can recognize single-stranded RNA, and some can To identify double-stranded RNA, some can identify unmethylated DNA. Entering the detailed research stage, there will be many directions and it will be a big project.

Principal, you know that this kind of scientific research project with many directions and unclear directions is not only time-consuming and energy-consuming, but more importantly, it may not produce results! There are only so many scientific research funds every year, and there are only so many laboratories. We must put limited resources on projects that can produce results. "

Meng Heming complained in passing that scientific research funds were insufficient.

Principal Gu ignored Meng Heming's complaint and asked directly: "If this topic is left to your biology department, is it okay?"

"No one thinks there are too few topics! However, our scientific research projects for next year are already fully booked, and we really don't have the funds to study the inhibition of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors."

Meng Heming's subtext is, it's not that I don't want to take on the project, but it's really hard for a clever woman to make a meal without rice and no money!

Of course, Principal Gu understood what Meng Heming meant, and he immediately said: "You don't have to worry about funding. There are special funds for this project."

"If we have the funds, everything will be easy to talk about!" Meng Heming then asked: "Principal, who will be responsible for this project? You must have a suitable candidate in mind, right?"

Meng Heming knew very well that since it was a scientific research project with funds, there must already be a candidate to host the project.

Principal Gu pointed directly at Zhang Wei next to him: "Zhang Wei will do this project!"

"Let Zhang Wei do it?" Meng Heming suddenly looked surprised.

Although there was no one else in the office except the three of them, Meng Heming was already shocked when Principal Gu proposed to hand over this project to Zhang Wei.

"Principal, Zhang Wei is still a college student, right? He should be a sophomore this year? Can he be responsible for a project independently?"

"It's not a sophomore, it's a freshman!" Zhang Wei corrected with a smile.

"Weren't you a freshman last semester? Why are you a freshman again this semester? Our school doesn't seem to allow you to repeat a grade!" Meng Heming said subconsciously.

"Director Meng, can you please do me a favor?" Zhang Wei paused for a moment, then continued: "If I wasn't a freshman, how could I choose your biology department!"

"What's going on? You want to come to our biology department?" Meng Heming was a little confused.

"Lao Meng, many departments across the school are vying for Zhang Wei. Now he is going to your place, don't you welcome him? And he is going with projects and funds!" Principal Gu said.

"Welcome, definitely welcome!" Meng Heming didn't come back to his senses for a while. He didn't expect that such incredible wealth would befall him!

Graphene is a Nobel Prize-level achievement, and Meng Heming is naturally very aware of it. However, graphene has nothing to do with the biology department, so Meng Heming has never thought of competing for Zhang Wei.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Wei took the initiative to come to the Department of Biology and brought a research project on the inhibition of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors!
I bring money and projects, and I ask you if you want them?

This is not just pie in the sky, it’s like the oven has fallen with it!
Not only does it take care of your meal, but it also takes care of your meal!
"Graphene and biological science are two completely unrelated research fields! Zhang Wei, why are you thinking about coming to our biology department?" Meng Heming couldn't help but ask.

"I'm interested in biological sciences!" Zhang Wei said with a smile.

"If you're interested, you're interested. Let's study the inhibition of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors from the beginning. This is a big step! Do you want to change to something simpler?" Meng Heming said subconsciously.

Normally, college students in biology departments take basic courses in their freshman year, such as introduction to biology, basic chemistry, botany, zoology, experimental skills, etc.

Courses such as cell biology, genetics, microbiology, biochemistry, ecology, molecular biology, etc. are all required in the sophomore and junior years.

Tsinghua University is full of top academics, so they may be ahead in their courses. Excellent students will indeed be exposed to some content from their sophomore and junior years in the first semester of their freshman year.

But when freshmen have just entered school, they study the inhibition of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors. This is really too much!
Apart from anything else, do you know how to do so many complicated experimental operations?

Zhang Wei saw Meng Heming's concerns. He smiled slightly and said, "It seems that Director Meng has no confidence in me! As the saying goes, it's a mule or a horse. Let's lead it out for a walk. How about we go to the laboratory for a walk? What happened? I’ll do it on the spot.”

(End of this chapter)