On December 11, a big event happened in the academic world.

But it's not on the math side, it's in the medical world.

Just three days ago in the afternoon, Professor Tu Youyou delivered a Chinese speech on the theme of "The Discovery of Artemisinin: The Gift of Traditional Chinese Medicine to the World" at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, and received the "Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine" medal at the award ceremony in Stockholm today!

Also receiving the prize will be William Campbell and Tomoshi Omura, who will share the prize of SEK 8 million (about $920,000).

Thus, the first Chinese Nobel laureate other than the Peace Prize was finally born!

In addition to being happy for the Chinese academic community, Lu Zhou couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

The first Chinese Nobel Prize has been born, and it is time for me to work hard towards the Fields Medal.

However, what is interesting is that just a few days after the Nobel Prize was awarded, an article titled "The Revelation of Artemisinin Patents" was published on the official website of the National Intellectual Property Administration, which told the story behind the Nobel Prize.

Although due to the times, there was no intellectual property system in China at that time, and publishing the research results in international journals was the only option, but later the patent right of the derivative "compound artemether" developed by the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences based on artemisinin was also not in the hands of China, but was used by Novartis in Switzerland to establish a patent barrier.

There are many reasons for this, but in the final analysis, it is the neglect of patent issues.

It's obviously something that I invented myself, but in the end I have to be controlled by others, which is embarrassing.

What's even more embarrassing is that although it was Tu Youyou who won the Nobel Prize, the research results have nothing to do with the old man, and there are many departments of related technical materials, and everyone is rushing to cooperate with foreign businessmen, but she has nothing to do.

The highest reward for this hero is only a second prize in the 79 National Invention Award, with a bonus of 5,000 yuan, and only 200 yuan is distributed to her.

In contrast, Tomoshi Omura, who won the award in the same year, has amassed a personal fortune of nearly 30 billion yen by relying on various patent fees in the field of microorganisms. At the age of 80, he has now gained fame and fortune, and even no longer engaged in scientific research, but fiddling with the collection of art, and spending his old age in peace.

It can be seen that the importance of intellectual property protection.

Because he has been paying attention to patents recently, Lu Zhou happened to see this article on the official website of the National Intellectual Property Bureau.

For him, this is also a wake-up call.

……

The year-end academic conference was finally scheduled for the week before Christmas.

In the early morning of the 18th, a flight landed at a California airport.

Leaving the airport with his suitcase, Lu Zhou boarded a taxi and headed for the University of California, Berkeley.

The annual year-end academic exchange conference organized by the Federal Mathematical Society will be held at the University of Berkeley.

At that time, the Cole Prize will be announced at the opening ceremony.

Although he, the winner, was spoiled two months in advance, and he knew the news of his award before the official written documents were discovered, the excitement of this advance was certainly not as strong as the moment when he held the medal and the check.

After getting off the bus at the gate of the Beric branch, Lu Zhou met Senior Brother Luo, who was waiting for him.

As soon as they met, they gave him a warm hug, and Senior Brother Luo said with a smile, "Why didn't you call me in advance?" I'll pick you up directly from the airport. ”

Lu Zhou smiled and said, "Your car is on the East Coast, it's not a taxi with me when you come, it's better for me to take a taxi myself." ”

Before coming to the United States, he did not inform anyone in advance, and only called Senior Brother Luo after getting off the plane.

As a member of the Federal Mathematical Society, Edward Witten did not miss such a conference. And Luo Wenxuan is studying for a doctorate under Witten, so it is reasonable to come over to join in the fun. Lu Zhou guessed this without even asking.

Glancing at his watch, seeing that the time was not early, Senior Brother Luo said, "Let's go, I'll take you to the place where you live." This time, the organizers prepared a five-star hotel for us...... Although it is claimed to be five stars, I feel that it is only about four stars. ”

Lu Zhou: "How does it compare to the Princeton Hotel?" ”

Luo Wenxuan grinned: "Princeton Hotel? The one across Palmer Square, you say? Compared to that, the living conditions here are still better, but the academic atmosphere is much less. ”

Berkeley is located in the San Francisco Bay Area, California's second-largest metropolitan area after the greater Los Angeles area. Compared to Princeton, which is located in a quiet town, the atmosphere here is undoubtedly much more impetuous.

Walking on the road, the two chatted about what happened some time ago, and Senior Brother Luo couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

"It's okay, Senior Brother Lu, this year is not over yet, and you will pretend to be a big force before the end of the year."

Lu Zhou coughed lightly and said in a low-key manner: "What is not pretending to be forced, can being a scholar be called pretending to be forced?" ”

"Yes, your tone is becoming more and more like Old Tang," Senior Brother Luo sighed lightly, paused, and continued, "So, as the winner of this year's Cole Number Theory Award, may I ask Mr. Lu Zhou, who never pretends to be forced, how do you feel now?" ”

"I don't have any feelings, I haven't written the eight characters yet."

Although the award was going to be presented in a few days, the email said that it would be kept secret, and Lu Zhou felt that he still needed to make a show.

However, Senior Brother Luo saw through it at a glance, didn't believe his set at all, rolled his eyes and said, "Okay, okay, don't pretend, the written notice should come down a month in advance, you must already know." ”

Lu Zhou: "Okay...... I did receive a written notice, but the email also said that it would need to be kept confidential until the award was officially presented. ”

"OK, OK, I won't talk nonsense everywhere," Senior Brother Luo patted Lu Zhao's shoulder and said with a smile, "When you get the bonus, just remember to invite me to drink!" ”

Recalling the last unpleasant experience, Lu Zhou hurriedly said: "It's okay to drink, but this time let's go to a normal bar." ”

Senior Brother Luo waved his hand and said with a smile: "Don't worry, this is near the university, and the bars in the neighborhood are very formal, and many professors will also come." By the way, did you get the beauty last time? Is there still a connection? ”

Lu Zhou was slightly stunned, not understanding what he was talking about: "...... What beauty? ”

Senior Brother Luo was also stunned when he saw Lu Zhou's reaction: "It's at CERN...... No, it's been less than half a year, and you'll forget about them. ”

As soon as he thought of that, Lu Zhou was speechless for a while.

"That's what you say? I didn't do anything to her. ”

Senior Brother Luo pinched his eyebrows: "Wait, I don't quite understand what you mean...... You mean, you dragged her into the room, covered her with a quilt, and left without doing anything? ”

Lu Zhou looked at him speechlessly: "I didn't cover the quilt, I closed the curtains...... Otherwise, what else can you do? Waiting for her to wake up? ”

After staring at Lu Zhou for a long time, Senior Brother Luo was silent for a while, and suddenly sighed.

"Senior Brother ......"

Lu Zhou: "...... What's wrong? ”

Senior Brother Luo sighed and continued: "Senior Brother thought that there was nothing to teach you, but I didn't expect that it was not that there was nothing to teach you, but that you had to learn from scratch......"

Lu Zhou: "......?" ”