In the afternoon, the Capitol Hill was gently caressed by the sunlight. The ancient buildings shone with golden light, complementing the colorful flowers around them, filled with charming floral fragrance, and exuding a festive atmosphere everywhere. The fountain in front of the villa, the water splashed happily, and under the reflection of the sun, it was like a string of pearls, reflecting a gorgeous rainbow.
In the hall, the lights were brilliant and the seats were full. Top scientists from all over the world gathered like stars. They talked in low voices, and their words were full of expectations for the upcoming press conference. Some repeatedly thought about the scientific research issues they were concerned about in their minds, trying to find answers at this press conference; others secretly guessed how Addison would present his scientific research results in a unique way. Dozens of academicians stood upright, with a majestic aura. Their eyes revealed their desire for new scientific breakthroughs, and they hoped that this press conference would bring new changes to the entire field of biological sciences. Professors and students from Harvard University, California Institute of Technology and other universities were filled with excitement and curiosity. Some were reading materials and sorting out Addison's previous scientific achievements in their minds; others were excitedly sharing their impressions of Addison and imagining what kind of style this talented young man would have on the stage. They came from afar just to witness this historic moment.
Hundreds of Chinese and foreign reporters were on standby, with their cameras like cannons ready to fire, and their lenses steadily aimed at the stage. The lighting technicians kept adjusting the equipment, so that the stage was covered with soft and bright light. The atmosphere on the scene was tense and warm, as if a grand scientific feast was about to begin. At this moment, everyone was convinced of the news that Addison had conquered AIDS. After all, a scientific and technological achievement press conference held on Capitol Hill must have extremely high authority and credibility behind it.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, the bell rang on time, and the long aftertaste echoed in the hall. Addison Blythe, dressed in simple casual clothes, walked onto the stage lightly and confidently. He looked young and immature, just like an ordinary student that can be seen everywhere on campus. However, at this moment, the eyes of the entire auditorium were focused on him as if attracted by a magnet. He was undoubtedly the core and soul of this grand event.
Johnson, who was sitting in the first row, felt an indescribable pride in his heart. Looking at Addison's calm figure, he couldn't help but recall how Addison looked when he first entered Harvard. At that time, he showed a talent and persistence in science far beyond ordinary people. "Here it comes." Johnson whispered to himself, with a gratified smile on his face. It is the dream of every educator to have such an outstanding student. Johnson silently blessed Addison in his heart and looked forward to him creating more brilliance at this press conference.
Professor Miller's wrinkled face also showed a smile. He stared at Addison's young and handsome face, and then turned his head to look at the scientists from all over the world behind him, with a lot of emotion in his heart. He has worked hard all his life. Although he has a certain reputation in China, it is difficult to be widely recognized on the international stage. The 18-year-old boy in front of him has already stood at the pinnacle of world biological sciences, attracting top scientists from all over the world. How could he not be amazed? "The Yangtze River's waves behind push the waves ahead." Professor Miller sighed softly, "But I, the wave ahead, am willing to be surpassed by you. I rejected the favorable conditions abroad and returned to my motherland to devote myself to education. Wasn't it because I hoped to cultivate a national pillar like you?" Thinking of this, Professor Miller's eyes sparkled, as if he saw the future of the country's biological sciences booming.
Just as Professor Miller was expressing his feelings, the host specially invited from NBC took the microphone and walked onto the stage with a confident step: "Dear distinguished gentlemen and ladies, thank you all for coming to this US scientific research results conference. Addison Blythe, a young American scientist, has recently made a major breakthrough in the field of AIDS treatment. He successfully used single-base gene editing technology to transform macrophages and cultivate new macrophages that can completely eliminate HIV. Next, let us invite Addison Blythe to explain in detail." After that, the host smiled and stepped aside, leaving the stage completely to Addison.
In an instant, the lights in the audience focused on Addison, and everyone held their breath, waiting for him to speak. Addison calmly picked up the microphone, looked around the audience, and said with a smile: "Considering that most of the journalists here are not professionals, I will briefly introduce macrophages and single-base gene editing technology."
"Human macrophages, like loyal guards of the immune system, patrol our bodies day and night, ready to devour bacteria, viruses, cancer cells and other pathogens at any time. However, facing the cunning HIV, macrophages are vulnerable and will become a breeding ground for the virus." While Addison was explaining, a dynamic picture was played on the large LED display next to him: HIV, like a group of invading invaders, quickly drilled into the macrophages and replicated crazily. In just a few minutes, hundreds of HIV gushed out of the dead macrophages, like a miniature disaster scene.
"Single-base gene editing technology is a gene editing technology developed by me. The core code that dominates human life is hidden in the genes in cells. Human birth, aging, illness, death, birth defects and even cancer are closely related to this seemingly tiny gene combination. I use single-base gene editing technology to accurately modify the genes of macrophages, so that they can not only identify and eliminate HIV, but also eliminate cells infected by HIV. In the future, this technology is expected to be applied to the treatment of cancer, rabies and other diseases. Taking cancer as an example, we can edit macrophages to enable them to accurately identify and destroy cancer cells, thereby achieving targeted treatment of cancer; for rabies, this technology can also be used to quickly eliminate the virus and greatly improve the cure rate of patients." As Addison narrated, the picture on the LED display was updated in real time. The modified macrophages were like brave warriors, launching a ruthless attack on HIV, one by one, and completely eliminating the virus.
Then, Addison explained some technical principles in a simple way, but he cleverly passed over the key details. After all, the main purpose of this press conference is to announce to the world that the United States has conquered AIDS, rather than to disclose all technical secrets.
"Next is the question-and-answer session. Reporters and audiences on the scene have the opportunity to ask questions." After Addison finished his explanation, the host walked onto the stage again.
A professor from Harvard University was the first to get the opportunity to ask questions. He stood up and asked seriously: "Student Addison Blythe, I have two questions. First, the human body has an immune rejection reaction. The macrophages you plan to use to treat AIDS patients are foreign bodies. After entering the patient's body, they will inevitably be attacked by the immune system. How do you solve this problem? Second, macrophages have the ability to divide. After they have eliminated the HIV virus in the patient's body, they may continue to divide. Will this bring potential risks to the patient?"
These two questions hit the nail on the head, but they are also reasonable. Addison responded with a smile: "Thank you for your question. In response to the rejection reaction, I added a special gene code when transforming macrophages, which enables macrophages to successfully avoid the attack of the patient's immune system. This gene code is like a layer of invisible cloak on macrophages, making it impossible for the immune system to recognize them. As for the problem of macrophage division, I use biological gene lock technology to process the macrophages injected into the patient's body to make them lose the ability to divide. These macrophages will die naturally after reaching the limit of their lifespan, and will not leave any hidden dangers in the patient's body. Biological gene lock technology can achieve precise control of cell behavior by regulating cell genes. It can not only solve the problem of macrophage division, but also has broad application prospects in the future in the fields of organ cultivation and delaying cell aging." Addison's answer stunned foreign scientists such as John O'Keefe and Raymond in the audience. John O'Keefe was amazed in his heart. He originally thought that he had made great achievements in the field of genes, but the research results and application of technology of the young man in front of him completely exceeded his imagination. He had read Addison's paper on biological gene lock technology, but the paper only explained the principle, and he knew little about the practical application of this technology. Now, seeing Addison apply biological gene lock technology to control the number of cell divisions, he was shocked beyond words. At this moment, he even felt that his knowledge reserve was dwarfed by others.
The host then selected the second questioner, Professor John O'Keefe from Harvard University, Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine. At this time, the atmosphere in the hall became more and more tense, and everyone's eyes were focused on John O'Keefe. Outside the window, the breeze blew through the treetops, and the leaves rustled, as if they were also listening to this scientific dialogue. John O'Keefe was a little excited and said in English: "Hello, Mr. Addison Blythe! I am John O'Keefe, and I teach at Harvard University. I originally came to you with some academic questions, but now I find that your attainments in the field of genetics are far superior to mine. Therefore, on behalf of Harvard University, I sincerely invite you to be a professor at the Harvard School of Life Sciences. We will provide you with an annual salary of 1 million US dollars. Although this salary may not be generous to you, Harvard University will give you full support in scientific research funding. We plan to provide you with no less than 500 US dollars per year. With $10,000 in research funding, you will be able to get sufficient resources to support your research ideas. In addition, at Harvard, you can easily communicate and collaborate with the world's top biologists. According to statistics, more than half of the world's top biologists are currently concentrated in related scientific research frontier areas. In such an environment, your research journey will be smoother and you are expected to achieve higher achievements. Moreover, Harvard University has world-class scientific research equipment, such as the latest ultra-high-resolution cryo-electron microscope, which allows you to observe the microscopic structure of cells and viruses more clearly; and advanced gene sequencers, which help you make rapid breakthroughs in the field of genetic research. We believe that on the platform of Harvard, your scientific research career will be even more powerful. " During his speech, John O'Keefe was very nervous. He was afraid that Addison would refuse this seemingly generous invitation. After all, with Addison's talent, there must be more and better choices.