I really don't want to lie down and win

"I analyzed the current public opinion environment, and we are destined to be beaten." Academician Zhong showed a bitter face: "Basically, 80.00% of the five are against. Let's see in 50 years... I hope Xu Mang can shorten the gap."

50 years?

Now that he was 20 years behind, and another 50 years behind, Xu Mang would never be able to do it.

suddenly,

The office fell into silence, and neither of them spoke.

for a long time,

There was a knock on the office door, and Xu Mang walked in slowly, carrying a fruit basket, with a smile on his face.

"Excuse me..."

"Accidentally overslept."

......

Chapter 734 Accepting the Challenge (1/3)

Looking at Xu Mang, looking at the fruit basket in his hand, the original sympathy for him disappeared in an instant, thinking about what he usually did, the anger in his heart.

The second grandfather said angrily: "Xu Mang... I told you last night, don't be late... Why are you still late for me, making academician Zhong wait for so long, can you grow up in the future?" A bit of memory? Hao Lai is also a great scientist, how come there is still no concept of time?"

"oops..."

"I don't want to either." Xu Mang said bitterly, "When I closed my eyes, I realized I was late...Second Grandpa really doesn't blame me. Besides, I just returned to China, and the time difference hasn't come back yet. Things are also excusable.”

"..."

Facing Xu Mang's various reasons, Second Grandpa didn't want to pursue it too much. After all, what's next is what matters.

"This is Academician Zhong, the head of the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences." The second grandfather looked at Academician Zhong, and then said, "This is Xu Mang, a bastard who doesn't have a positive figure every day." .”

Academician Zhong felt that the relationship between his old friend and Xu Mang seemed to be much stronger than he imagined, and suddenly felt relieved, and said with a smile: "Professor Xu Mang... the first time we met, your many deeds , I've heard a lot."

"It's all a joke." Xu Mang said with a smile, "Academician Zhong...let's get straight to the point. What do you want me to do?"

"We want to use your Xuman system to help predict the three-dimensional structure of proteins from amino acid sequences." Academician Zhong said, "The second is research in the field of gene editing. We hope that you can develop a new The system can more precisely control DNA changes."

Xu Mang:? ? ?

what?

New...new system?

Hearing Academician Zhong's words, Xu Mang looked at him in a daze, and said, "I remember... the most popular one now is the CRISPR–Cas9 gene editing system, which was only born more than ten years ago. ..does this require a new one?"

"Correct!"

"In fact, the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system has huge flaws. It is not so smart and often makes mistakes." Academician Zhong said: "We need to find new gene editing technologies to make up for the shortcomings of CRISPR-Cas9, as far as I know. ..nobody in the world is working on this."

Xu Mang didn't speak, and looked at Academician Zhong quietly. Developing a new gene editing system is not an ordinary difficulty. At present, CRISPR Cas9 is the most perfect form. In fact, CRISPR is a repetitive sequence in the genome of prokaryotic organisms. Bacteria and viruses fight to produce immune weapons.

To put it simply, viruses can integrate their genes into bacteria, and use bacterial cell tools to serve their own gene replication. Bacteria have evolved the CRISPR Cas9 system in order to clear the foreign invasion genes of viruses.

Using this system, bacteria can quietly remove viral genes from their own genomes, which means that CRISPR Cas9 gene editing technology is a technology for specific DNA modification of targeted genes.

"Is there any request?" Xu Mang asked.

"Have!"

"Reduce the risk of off-target occurrence." Academician Zhong said: "The new system requires higher safety than the CRISPR-Cas9 system. The so-called safety is precision. Only by greatly reducing the probability of off-target can greater safety be obtained."

Xu Mang smiled wryly, and said helplessly: "The difficulty is not so great. The CRISPR-Cas9 system is recognized as the best gene editing technology in the world. It is characterized by being cheap and easy to use. Relatively speaking, it is actually quite accurate. If you want to pursue higher precision, then you will lose other characteristics."

"for example..."

"The new system will be very expensive." Xu Mang said: "Unless artificial intelligence is used, the experimental simulation is carried out on the computer first, and then the experiment is carried out according to the success rate, but this requires the accumulation of a large amount of data, and I do not have such data. "

At this time,

Academician Zhong showed a slight smile: "As for the data, Professor Xu Mang, you don't need to worry at all. We have a very complete database that can be developed for you. You can use the database as you like."

I...

Come prepared!

Xu Mang opened his mouth, and finally swallowed the words. CRISPR gene editing technology is known as the most disruptive emerging technology in the 21st century, and it is also subject to various negative effects. Xu Mang is worried that the new system will Bring new panic to the world.

"What's wrong with Professor Xu Mang?" Seeing Xu Mang's hesitation to speak, Academician Zhong hurriedly asked, "Is there any problem? If there is any problem, you can bring it up in person. We can discuss it now."

"No... nothing." Xu Mang said helplessly, "Can you give me a few days to think about it?"

"it is good!"

"I know what you are worried about." Academician Zhong nodded, and said seriously: "Professor Xu Mang... gene editing technology is not as scary as you imagine, in fact, gene editing technology is by far the most promising cure for HIV, A technology for heart disease and cancer."

Xu Mang smiled wryly and said, "I know this... I'm in theoretical physics, and I'm the easiest to overturn the world, such as the mass-energy equation... Academician Zhong, don't worry, I'm not the kind of person with very old ideas, it's just me Feeling like I might not succeed.”

Academician Zhong didn't speak. At this time, he couldn't put too much pressure on Xu Mang.

"Say..."

"If I accept it, where is the place of work?" Xu Mang asked curiously, "Should I go to the capital?"

"unnecessary."

"I think the building of Fuda's Department of Biology is very good, with very complete supporting facilities, so you don't need to come to the capital." Academician Zhong said.

"Oh..."

"Then I'll go first, and I'll give you an answer in a few days."

When the words fall,

Xu Mang carried the fruit basket he had just brought, and left the principal's office straight away. Faced with this situation, Second Grandpa had long since accepted the strangeness, but Academician Zhong looked confused. Come to eat by yourself?

...

Xu Mang died alone on the sofa, thinking about the new system in the field of gene editing. The new system is probably unlikely, and the difficulty is not just sporadic. In most cases, it should be optimized on the CRISPR system.

but...

The difficulty is not ordinary!

The CRISPR system has been a game-changer in the field of biological sciences. This technology finds, excises and replaces specific parts of DNA through Cas9 specially programmed enzymes, and its characteristics are obviously cheap, simple and powerful.