Chapter 279 - 185: Charite Medical School

Chapter 279: Chapter 185: Charite Medical School

Jiang He: "...Is this the same Professor Wang I know?"

Chen Hao: "Yep. Professor Wang Xiaoqing from the School of Basic Medical Sciences. Our very own Master Extinction."

Jiang He: "Wow."

He couldn’t help but find the situation absurd.

’What is this, a professor signing up to join the project of another professor’s PhD student?’

’How am I supposed to tell Yang Xu about this?’

’"Hey, Xiaoyang, why don’t you join my group too? Your advisor just signed up. You should come along, and I’ll put you two together for experiments?" (Smirking_Face.jpg)’

Such a ridiculous turn of events.

It actually reminded Jiang He of someone.

Zhang Feng.

Born in Shijia Zhuang in 1982, he immigrated to the United States with his parents in ’94.

During his PhD at Stanford University, he became a core developer of optogenetics technology.

Back then, it wasn’t just his PhD advisor, Karl Deisseroth, who was extremely dependent on him. The top neuroscience professors from all over Stanford, and even Harvard University, were all lining up, hoping to collaborate with this young man in his twenties.

The reason was simple.

Zhang Feng held a complete, mature set of photosensitive protein construction protocols.

In that field, whoever could get their hands on Zhang Feng’s viral vectors, whoever could pull him into their research group...

...would be the first to publish papers in top-tier journals like *Nature* and *Science*.

A single PhD student, relying on his absolutely core technology, was in a position to reverse-pick from a group of top professors.

Later, this young man became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Inventors, and the National Academy of Medicine. He simultaneously served as a professor at MIT, a researcher at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, and a core member of the Broad Institute. He is also internationally recognized as one of the pioneers of CRISPR-Cas gene-editing technology.

Jiang He recalled.

’It’s 2008...’

’Right now, Zhang Feng should be doing his PhD at Stanford, right in the middle of the critical explosive period of developing the underlying technology for optogenetics, right?’

In a way, he felt that Zhang Feng was a parallel version of himself.

Both were PhD students. Both held core technologies that made the entire academic world green with envy. And both had professors and advisors volunteering to join their teams.

The only difference was that one was at Stanford University in the United States, and the other was at Southern Medical University in China.

"Old Jiang? Old Jiang?"

Chen Hao called out twice. "So, what’s the verdict? Should I accept this application form or not? I don’t even dare to look her in the eye..."

Jiang He snapped out of his thoughts. "It’s fine, accept it. If Professor Wang wants to come, let her come."

"Huh? You’re really going to let a professor take the group’s entrance assessment?"

"Yeah. I trust Professor Wang’s academic integrity and character. Besides, our miRNA early screening project is about to enter a much more difficult phase."

Extracting the RNA is just the first step.

The subsequent reverse transcription, primer design, PCR amplification, and even the final sequencing and data analysis will increase in difficulty exponentially.

Chen Hao and the others didn’t have the knowledge base or experimental experience to handle it yet.

And he himself had been rather busy at the hospital lately.

Therefore, the lab needed someone who could command respect and lead the team forward.

If Professor Wang was willing to join the group and take the lead on the actual execution of the experiments, it would be a good thing for him.

Chen Hao let out a long sigh on the other end. "Alright, with you saying that, I feel much more confident. Then, what about the assessment in a couple of days...?"

"Just follow the normal procedure."

He hung up the phone.

Jiang He went back to enjoying his stir-fried rice noodles.

’Have to say, the stir-fried rice noodles in Yangcheng are seriously delicious. Especially from this place next to the hospital. They add a secret chili sauce and two fried eggs. Highly recommended.’

’Xiaomeng really knows how to order food. He’s kind of like that coach from the future, Zhu Kai...’

Afterward, Jiang He did another round of checks on his patients.

Then, the head nurse came to find him and said:

"Dr. Jiang, Vice Dean Zhang is looking for you. He wants you to drop by his office when you have a moment."

"Okay."

...

In the vice dean’s office.

Jiang He walked into the office and saw two people.

The vice dean, of course, was one of them. He looked much older recently, as if he hadn’t been getting any rest.

There was also a woman he didn’t recognize, but his intuition told him this was Zhang Sui’s ex-wife.

Jiang He sized her up briefly.

She was in her early forties, with an exceptionally refined air about her.

She wore a khaki trench coat and a white shirt. Although she couldn’t hide her haggardness, her back was ramrod straight, and she exuded a sharp, commanding aura.

’Definitely a formidable person,’ Jiang He quickly judged in his mind.

The woman stood up.

Zhang Sui also got to his feet and made the introduction. "Jiang He, this is Jiaqi’s mother, Gu Qingyan."

Gu Qingyan’s eyes were red-rimmed as she extended her right hand toward Jiang He.

"Dr. Jiang, hello."

"Teacher Gu, hello."

Jiang He had called her Teacher Gu.

It was a respectful form of address, born from his intuition... Who says men don’t have a sixth sense?

Immediately after,

Gu Qingyan’s eyes grew even redder.

Although she was trying her best to control her emotions,

it was obvious.

The torrent of feelings inside her was being conveyed unreservedly through her eyes.

It was the profound, lingering fear and gratitude of a mother who had just gone from Hell to heaven.

She began to speak:

"...I just came from the ICU. I’ve looked at all of Jiaqi’s vitals, and I’ve reviewed the surgical record."

"Interleukin-6, a fully formed cytokine storm, complicated by abdominal compartment syndrome... A one-handed blind suture of the superior anterior duodenal artery, and the proactive use of a Bogota bag for temporary abdominal closure and decompression."

"Dr. Jiang, my fields are clinical immunology and intensive care medicine, so I understand even better than Zhang Sui just how incredible a feat you accomplished last night..."

"If the surgeon last night had been someone a little younger... no, I should say, a slightly less experienced doctor, they most likely would not have been able to handle Jiaqi’s situation..."

"So, thank you. I truly thank you, Jiang He. You saved Jiaqi, and you saved my life as well."

Hearing this,

Jiang He couldn’t help but wonder:

’How did this story play out in my past life?’

’Jiaqi passed away from her illness...’

’And then what kind of torment did her parents, both doctors themselves, have to endure?’

’That feeling of being unable to save a loved one, that sense of powerlessness...’

Jiang He felt an instant wave of empathy.

So he comforted her, "Teacher Gu, you give me too much credit."

A single tear finally escaped the corner of Gu Qingyan’s eye, but she quickly wiped it away with her fingertip.

Then, she took a business card from her trench coat pocket and handed it to Jiang He with both hands.

"Zhang Sui is stubborn. He has his limitations within the domestic system. Dr. Jiang, some debts of gratitude are too great for words. I, Gu Qingyan, will remember this kindness for the rest of my life."

Jiang He took the card and glanced down at it.

[Gu Qingyan.]

[Charite Medical School, Berlin, Germany. Institute of Clinical Immunology and Intensive Care Medicine. Regional Director / Principal Investigator (PI).]

[Executive Committee Member, European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM).]

’Damn, she’s that impressive?’

Jiang He was stunned.

Charite Medical School—the largest medical institution in Europe, had been ranked as the best hospital in Europe for many years in a row.

To be able to secure the positions of Regional Director and Principal Investigator at an institute there, and to enter the core management of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine—this woman’s academic standing was undoubtedly top-tier on the international stage.

And this was 2008.

Chinese people who could gain a firm foothold in the inner circles of the European Medical Community were as rare as a phoenix’s feathers.

"I know you have several projects right now, including the SAP early prediction model. I also heard from Zhang Sui that you want to set up a P3 laboratory. Jiang He, the domestic processes have their advantages, but often, when it comes to procuring reagents, consumables, and top-tier international equipment, you’ll run into many barriers."

"From now on, whatever you need—top-tier reagent channels in Europe, access to unpublished antibody library shares, or if you want to submit your papers to *The Lancet* or the *New England Journal of Medicine*—I can find top experts in the field to do pre-reviews and recommend you for the fast track."

"You only need to ask, and all the resources, connections, and channels I, Gu Qingyan, have at my disposal will be completely and unconditionally open to you, Jiang He."

Jiang He carefully put the business card into his pocket.

"Teacher Gu, thank you in advance, then. If the need arises, I will contact you."

Excessive politeness would only seem disingenuous.

They were all intelligent people. Repaying a debt of gratitude at this level was best done directly.

"Good. Jiaqi still needs to be observed in the ICU, so I’ll be staying in Yangcheng for a while. Once she’s transferred to a general ward, I’d like to treat you and your team to a meal, if there’s an opportunity."

"Sounds good."

"Alright, you still have your rounds to make, don’t you? Go on, get to your work."

Jiang He gave a slight nod to Zhang Sui and Gu Qingyan, then turned and left the office.

In the hallway, he felt the business card in his pocket, a sense of joy rising in him.

The gears of fate were indeed turning wildly in a way he could never have predicted.

Saving Zhang Jiaqi—his initial intention was simply to save a life and repay the kindness of the old dean.

He never expected that this pleasant surprise, this chain reaction, would directly open a door for him to Europe’s top-tier medical resources.

With this connection to Gu Qingyan,

the upcoming international debut of the miRNA early screening project would have more than half of its obstacles cleared away.