Hogwarts: From Selling White Peppers to Becoming a God

Chapter 17 The Researcher's Caution

Finding a biology lab at a university, especially one like Darwin College with a strong reputation in biology, is a very easy thing.

Murphy and Rita Montalcini, whose curiosity he had successfully piqued, entered a laboratory, led by the dean of the college and several professors.

A cell biology professor introduced his laboratory; he was also a researcher of nerve cells. Soon, he had several graduate students prepare the experimental materials.

It was a mouse whose leg nerves had been severed.

"I have most of the materials needed for neurobiology. Just tell me what you need." Although the professor didn't quite believe Murphy's boasting, he was willing to offer a little help on the issue that had piqued the big shot's interest.

Murphy looked around. "Everything is there, but I guess you might not have this."

As he spoke, he took out a small bottle of pure white umami essence that he had prepared from his pocket.

"Please hold the mouse's leg still, expose the affected area, rinse it, and let us see the severed nerves clearly," Murphy casually instructed a graduate student.

The girl, who was several years older than Murphy, was taken aback for a moment, but under the care of the professors and mentors, she did not dare to raise any objections and obediently did as instructed.

Murphy solemnly took out a dropper, drew out a few drops of pure white essence, and dripped it onto the wound.

Murphy was already used to what happened next.

Amidst gasps of amazement, everyone watched as the wound healed in mere seconds, and the mouse hopped and skipped about as if it had never been injured. They engaged in heated discussions about the mechanisms behind this miraculous scene.

Rita was also very surprised. "This could indeed be a Nobel Prize-worthy discovery. What's the name of this substance, and what's its approximate cellular mechanism?"

Finally, the question came up. Murphy shook his head sheepishly. "I don't know what cellular mechanisms are involved. In fact, that's why I wanted to talk to you about it today. I've discovered this substance, I know its effects, but I don't yet understand the underlying logic."

"As for the name of this substance, some people may have heard of it. It's called Cloud Medicine."

"Yun Duan Bai Yao, are you referring to that wound treatment medicine that's been making headlines lately?"

Among the scholars who followed, there were also those related to medicine, and they were all tired of hearing the name "Yun Duan Bai Yao" these days.

Rita hadn't heard of Baiyao, but someone quickly explained the recent controversy to her. Her gaze towards Murphy changed. "You said you discovered this substance. Who are you? What's your relationship with that company?"

"You can call me Morpheus Annon. I founded Umbrella Corporation."

"It seems that today's presentation is more than just a simple academic discussion," Rita said.

Murphy thought for a moment and decided to be honest, "Yes, you have also seen the effects of Yunnan Baiyao. It can heal external injuries in just a few minutes or even seconds, which is something that no other drug has ever been able to do before. Yunnan Baiyao has extremely broad application prospects in the treatment of external injuries, first aid, nerve repair, and even medical aesthetics."

"However, Yunnan Baiyao's powerful effects have also attracted pressure from several pharmaceutical companies, who..."

"Wait," Rita interrupted Murphy's long-winded explanation, "you want me to endorse your drugs?"

Murphy was speechless for a moment, then said, "I just wanted you to be able to verify its effects, to prove its great usefulness..."

"Has your drug undergone clinical trials?"

"Not yet, the Drug Safety Committee is delaying the issuance of clinical trial approval, but the efficacy of Yunnan Baiyao has already been verified by many buyers..."

"Young man," Rita pressed her hands down, seemingly trying to calm Murphy, "the effect you just demonstrated was truly astonishing. Perhaps your medicine has enormous potential for application and can be explored to great extent..."

“But you don’t know how it works,” Rita said. “It’s a black box to you and everyone who uses it.”

"Its effects, perhaps as you wish, are due to an extremely stable and effective biochemical mechanism, and will not cause any rejection or adverse reactions in anyone."

"However, history has taught us countless times that when we misuse something before we understand it, it often leads to many unexpected tragedies."

"I am one of the discoverers of growth factors, which can promote cell development, repair, and regeneration, which sounds like a very good thing. But did you know that it can also promote the growth of cancer cells, and much more so than it does to normal cells? It may even lead to the birth of cancer cells."

"It is not something a researcher should do to only see the benefits of something while ignoring its potential risks."

"I'm sorry, young man. Perhaps you could consider waiting until the drug has undergone clinical trials before releasing it to the market."

Upon hearing this, Murphy knew he had failed.

From a scientific rigor standpoint, her words make perfect sense and are simply irrefutable.

Rita Levi Montalcini is a scientist, and even from the perspective of being responsible for her academic reputation, she would not easily endorse anything that has not been fully verified.

Rita finished speaking and prepared to leave, but Murphy was still somewhat unwilling. "Don't you want to know the treatment principle behind the white medicine? You yourself said it's a Nobel Prize-worthy discovery!"

Rita had already reached the lab door when she heard this. She paused for a moment and said, "Young man, I'm already seventy-eight years old. My energy isn't what it used to be, and although I hate to admit it, my research career is basically over."

"I am not Marie Curie; I do not have her talent or the luck to win the award twice."

"Giving speeches and telling stories to lure young people into this industry is one of the few things I can do now."

"However, you're right, I do want to know the principle behind this experiment."

"While I won't endorse your company or drug, I might still try to investigate it. That's perhaps the risk of being a researcher; our curiosity is never satisfied."

"But you'd better not expect a half-buried old lady to accomplish anything remarkable."

"I suggest you talk to the professors here, or if needed, I can introduce you to a few people. They are all very outstanding scholars and should be more helpful to you than I am."

Murphy breathed a sigh of relief. Although he hadn't convinced Rita, if it could spark a research boom in Cloud Medicine, it would be a good positive publicity.

"Thank you for your help! I'll write to you!" Murphy shouted.

"I'm really looking forward to it."

After Rita left, several scholars surrounded Murphy and chatted, all hinting that they wanted some of the original solution from earlier for experimental research.

Murphy agreed to all of them, but planned to send them only some mixed medicines similar to those available on the market when he returned.

The secret to Bai Xian flavoring is worth a lot of money; how could he possibly give it away so easily?

The genuine white safflower essence will only be provided to researchers who are willing to serve him wholeheartedly once the research institute is built.

Furthermore, we also need to sign a confidentiality agreement with them.

Hmm...maybe just signing an agreement isn't enough, maybe we should also make up an unbreakable oath or something?

With these random thoughts swirling in his mind, Murphy was about to take another stroll around the university campus when his cell phone rang.

Amidst the students' surprised and envious gazes, Murphy pulled out the black brick. "Feed? Who?"

"Mr. Parker, yes, it's me, Wood. Mr. Parker? Can you hear me?"

(End of this chapter)