Chapter 17: The Caution of Researchers (Edited)

In a university, especially one like Darwin College that has made significant achievements in the field of biology, finding a biology laboratory is a very simple task.

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

A professor of cell biology introduced his laboratory. He was also a researcher of nerve cells, and soon, he had several graduate students prepare the materials for the experiment.

It was a mouse, whose nerve in one leg had been severed.

"I have most of the materials needed for neurobiology here. Let me know what you need, and I can provide it," the professor said, not quite believing Murphy's boasts but willing to offer a bit of help on a question that had piqued the interest of important figures.

Murphy looked around and said, "You have everything well-organized here, but I guess you might not have this."

Saying so, he took out a small bottle of pure Dittany essence he had prepared from his pocket.

"Please fix the mouse's leg, expose the injured area, and wash it so we can see the severed nerve clearly," Murphy instructed a graduate student naturally.

The female student, several years older than Murphy, hesitated but did not dare to object under the watchful eyes of the professors and diligently followed the instructions.

Murphy then took a pipette seriously, drew a few drops of the Dittany essence, and dropped it onto the wound.

The scene that followed was one Murphy had become accustomed to.

Everyone watched in amazement as the wound healed in just a few seconds, and the mouse started hopping around as if it had never been injured, vigorously discussing the miraculous mechanism behind this scene.

Rita was also very surprised, "This could indeed be a Nobel Prize-level discovery. What is this substance called, and what is its basic cellular mechanism?"

Finally, the question Murphy had been waiting for came, and he shook his head shyly, "I don't know the exact cellular mechanism involved. In fact, that's exactly what I wanted to discuss with you today. I've discovered this substance and know its effects, but the logic behind it is still unclear."

"As for the name of this substance, perhaps some have heard of it. It's called Dittany Medicine."

"Dittany Medicine, you mean the topical treatment drug that has been causing a stir recently?"

Among the scholars who followed, some were from the medical field and had grown tired of hearing about Dittany Medicine these days.

Rita had not heard of the medicine, but someone quickly explained the recent controversy to her, and her look at Murphy changed, "You say you discovered this substance, who are you? What is your relationship with that company?"

"You can call me Murphy Annon. The Umbrella Company was founded by me."

"It seems, today's presentation is not just a simple academic discussion," Rita said.

Murphy thought for a moment and decided to be honest, "Yes, as you've seen the effect of the medicine, it can heal external wounds in just a few minutes or even seconds, which is something no other drug has been able to do before. Dittany Medicine has a very broad application prospect in wound treatment, emergency care, nerve repair, and even in medical aesthetics."

"But the powerful effect of Dittany Medicine has also attracted pressure from several pharmaceutical companies..."

"Wait," Rita interrupted Murphy's lengthy speech, "Are you asking me to endorse your drug?"

Murphy was speechless for a moment and then said, "I just want you to verify its effect to prove its great potential..."

"Has your drug undergone clinical trials?"

"Not yet. The Drug Safety Committee has been delaying the issuance of clinical licenses, but the effect of Dittany Medicine has been verified by many buyers..."

"Young man," Rita pressed her hands down, seemingly to calm Murphy's emotions, "The effect you demonstrated is indeed very astonishing. Perhaps your drug has a great application space and a lot of potential to be explored..."

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

"Its effect may be as you wish, due to a very stable and effective biochemical mechanism, and it may not cause any adverse reactions or rejection in anyone."

"But history has taught us numerous times that when we use something without fully understanding it, it often leads to many unforeseen tragedies."

"I am one of the discoverers of growth factors, which can promote cell development, repair, and regeneration, sounding like a very good thing. But did you know, it can also promote the growth of cancer cells, much more than it does for normal cells, and it might even lead to the emergence of cancer cells."

"Seeing only the benefits of something while ignoring its potential risks is not what a researcher should do."

"I'm sorry, young man. Perhaps you might consider putting it on the market after the drug has undergone clinical verification."

Murphy knew he had failed upon hearing this.

From the perspective of scientific rigor, her words made a lot of sense and were irrefutable.

Rita Levi-Montalcini was a scientist, and even from the perspective of being responsible for her own academic reputation, she could not easily endorse any unverified matter.

After Rita was about to leave, Murphy still felt somewhat unwilling, "Don't you want to know the therapeutic principle behind Dittany Medicine? You said it yourself, this is a Nobel Prize-level discovery!"

Rita had already reached the laboratory door, paused at his words, and said, "Young man, I am seventy-eight years old. My energy is not what it used to be, and although I hate to admit it, my scientific career is essentially over."

"I am not Marie Curie; I don't have her talent and luck to win the prize twice."

"Talking and telling stories here and there, enticing young people into this field, is one of the few things I can still do."

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

"Although I won't stand for your company and drug, I might still try to find a way to research it a bit, perhaps that's the risk of being a researcher, our curiosity is never satisfied."

"But you'd better not expect an old lady on her way out to make any more significant achievements."

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

Murphy breathed a sigh of relief. Although he had not convinced Rita, if he could spark a research frenzy on Dittany Medicine, it would still be considered positive publicity.

"Thank you for your help! I will write to you!" Murphy called out.

"I look forward to it."

After Rita left, several scholars gathered around Murphy, all wanting some of the pure essence for experimental research.

Murphy agreed to all of them but planned to send them a mixed medicine similar to what was available on the market once he returned.

The secret of Dittany essence was a big money-maker; he couldn't possibly hand it over so easily.

The real Dittany essence would only be provided to researchers who could serve him wholeheartedly once the research institute was built in the future.

And he would have to sign a confidentiality agreement with them.

Hmm... maybe just signing an agreement isn't enough, how about a foolproof oath or something?

As Murphy was thinking about all these things and planning to take another turn around the university campus, his brick phone rang.

Amidst the astonished and envious looks of the students, Murphy took out the bulky device, "Hello? Who is this?"

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