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Chapter 115: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (2)

“I was recommended? As a Nobel Prize nominee?” Young-Joon asked in surprise.

—Haha. You are definitely qualified, Mr. Ryu. No, you are more than qualified; you are a highly likely candidate.

Carpentier replied.

“...”

—Of course, you won’t be able to receive it this fall even if you are selected. You know that, right?

“Yes.”

—This year’s recipient will come from the nominated candidates in the letters that were sent out around this time last year. I’m sure they already finished the consideration process. You will probably be screened next January.

Carpentier said.

—I think it’s almost certain that you will receive the Nobel Prize next year.

“I hope so.”

—Speaking of the Nobel Prize, recipients sometimes have difficulty in conducting further research.

“Why?”

—It might not be accurate because it’s only based on my friends’ and my experiences. However, people feel a little uncomfortable when Nobel laureates ask to do research together or when they go into a new research team.

“Really?”

—Yes. It’s because the spotlight is put on the Nobel laureate when a paper comes out from the group they are part of.

“Oh...”

—And even if Nobel laureates try to do research together... Ah well, they are all people who were successful in their fields. Usually, they don’t listen to other people, are stubborn, and a lot of them have weird personalities. The... What was it in Korean? I learned it from Doctor Park recently.

“What is it?”

—Ah, I remember. Kondae![1] Most Nobel laureates are kondae.

“Do you mean kkondae?”

—That’s right. Kkandae. Haha.

Carpentier laughed a little.

“...”

—I worked with Jamie Anderson for a little while, but I fought with him and left the lab because he kept telling me what to do on my research and got on my nerves.

“Jamie Anderson?”

—Yes. The lab director of the Cold Spring Laboratory.

“...”

Jamie Anderson: he was one of the living legends of twentieth-century biology who was also in general biology textbooks.

—Oh, do you know that all the papers that come out of the Cold Spring Laboratory all have Jamie Anderson’s name on it?

“Does he participate in all the research?”

—No, he just forces the scientists to put his name in as the corresponding author. He’s basically the Cold Spring’s barcode.

“...”

—I’m getting off track. Anyways, you won’t have to worry about not having anyone to work with after getting the Nobel Prize. Since you already own a company like A-Bio.

“Really?”

—Of course. I am already working with you, aren’t I? If you become a Nobel laureate, more scientists might go to A-Gen. I think you can look forward to next October.

After hanging up the phone, Young-Joon was lost in thought for a moment. Korea was quite alienated from the center of science. Because of that, it was very rare for Korean scientists to be nominated for science-related awards such as the Nobel Prize in Physics, Chemistry, or Medicine.

However, it was also entertaining for scientists to watch the Nobel Prize ceremony. Sometimes, they made bets on who would receive the award.

‘Back when I was a grad student, I also made bar bets with seniors and juniors on whether Doudna or George would receive the Nobel Prize in Medicine...’

The Nobel Prize game was a war among the stars as only the top scientists were nominated.

‘I can’t believe I am one of them.’

Young-Joon thought that this might happen while doing his research, but it was shocking to see that it actually did. He wasn’t doing research out of patriotism, but he was pretty proud to be the first Korean to receive a Nobel Prize in the science field.

‘Ah, I need to stop thinking about it.’

It wasn’t like he had received it; he had just been selected as a nominee. The selection process wasn’t going to start until next January, and even if he did receive it, the ceremony was more than a year away.

‘I should focus on my research.’

Young-Joon called Yoo Song-Mi, his secretary.

“Can you get me the notes from my meeting with Doctor Cheon’s team, please? It’s about the organoid design,” Young-Joon said.

A little while later, Yoo Song-Mi appeared with the notes. She also gave him something unexpected as well. It was a golden envelope. It was sealed in an old-fashioned wax seal.

“What is this?”

“It’s from the Karolinska Institute Faculty Council. I don’t know much about it.”

Young-Joon eyes widened.

“The Karolinska Institute?”

“Yes. What is it?”

Young-Joon opened the envelope, thinking that there was no way. He felt his breath stop as he read a few lines of the letter inside.

It was true that the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences hosted the final awarding of the Nobel Prize, but the judging process was divided among a few institutions.

For the Nobel Prize in Medicine, it was judged by the professors of the Karolinska Institute, one of the best medical schools in Europe. And in very special and exceptional cases, they could consult outside experts.

—Dear Doctor Ryu Young-Joon from the Karolinska Institute Faculty Council. We request your consultation on the judging process for this year’s recipient of the Nobel Prize in Medicine.

* * *

“So when are you going?” Park Joo-Hyuk asked Young-Joon while having lunch.

“Sweden?”

“Yeah. You have to go yourself for the judging process, right?”

“I’m not going. Why would I go?”

Park Joo-Hyuk narrowed his eyes and looked at Young-Joon.

“What is this crazy nonsense? They are letting you pick the Nobel Prize recipient, but you’re not going to go?”

“I would take some time off if they were giving me the award. But I don’t have enough experience to judge a scientist who is worthy of the Nobel Prize, and it’s a burden.”

“Who is the person you are judging?”

“I don’t know either. They said they would tell me stuff like that when I go to Karolinska. It’s an important secret, so they probably won’t be able to reveal that information to the outside.”

“I don’t know who it is, but they probably sent you a letter because you are the best expert in the research the nominee is doing. You don’t have to be so humble. Not being qualified to judge... If you don’t have the right, what does that make a professor like Carpentier who is working under you?”

“And to be honest, it’s a waste of time. It’ll be good no matter who wins the Nobel Prize, so I want to do my research with that time,” Young-Joon said.

“I guess I have no way to convince you when you say it like that.”

After finishing his meal, Young-Joon wrote a reply refusing participation in the judging in a respectful tone.

‘I don’t know why they are doing it in such an old-fashioned way when an email would take a second, but...’

Young-Joon respected their tradition as much as possible because this was the way it was.

However, people were bound to throw their traditional way out the window and take the convenient one when it was urgent.

The day after Young-Joon’s reply arrived at Karolinska, he received an international call from the institute. It was an early call in the morning for them; the professors had basically called him as soon as they received his letter.

—Doctor Ryu?

“Yes, hello. This is Ryu Young-Joon.”

—Nice to meet you. My name is Heriot, and I am the director of the Nobel Committee at the Karolinska Institute. I see that you turned down our request for your counsel on the judging process.

“I did. It is too much for me, and I am busy with my research right now.”

—Did you hear that you were selected as one of the nominees for the next Nobel Prize?

“I did.”

—People who have been recommended as nominees tend to hear about it in any way. Then, you also know that we will be judging you next year, right?

“Yes.”

—Haha, people in your position would buy a plane ticket to Sweden immediately when we requested your counsel. But you are not coming because you are busy with your research... You are worse than your rumors.

“...”

—However, if you come to Sweden, it will be a lot of help to the research you are doing right now, Mr. Ryu. The key result of this nominee relates to your research.

“Is it about stem cells?”

—It isn’t. That is a relatively new field, and who could give you help when you are already the best expert in the world?

“Then, what is it?”

—Mr. Ryu, I was impressed with how you drastically reduced the unit price of existing new drugs as you produced plant-based drugs.

“...”

—But there is no change in the price of the chimeric immunotherapy, right?

“It has been lowered a little, but it does need additional development.”

—Because it uses someone’s immune cells. There is nothing that can be done through plant cells.

Plant-based production was producing pharmaceuticals that were originally made in animal cells in plants. This method had already reduced the price of several drugs.

But if the pharmaceutical was the animal cell itself? Immune cells were also the cells from an animal—humans. As long as that was the pharmaceutical itself, there was nothing that could be done with the plant-based production method; they could not make animal cells from plant cells.

“I am doing a lot of research to solve that.”

—You are trying to make a universal chimeric immune cell, right?

Hariot asked.

The universal chimeric immune cells: it referred to an immunotherapy that could be used on any and all patients. Originally, chimeric immunotherapy required the immune cells that were uniquely designed against the patient’s cancer cells. Because of that, the entire treatment was personalized. They had to harvest cells from each patient and match the type of cancer they had.

But if this could be mass-produced? If they could mass-produce it and just administer it when cancer patients came to see them? It would become a cure from therapy. The price would fall drastically.

It was not a very innovative idea, as Conson & Colson also poured in a huge amount of time and money to do this.

‘And they failed.’

It was extremely difficult work. It was so difficult that Young-Joon could not obtain results at once even with Rosaline. Young-Joon was using his fitness and walking toward the answer, step-by-step.

—This year’s nominee is related to cancer and immune cells. We cannot tell you any details right now... But I am sure it will be very helpful to the things you are trying to make,” Hariot said.

“Oh!”

Young-Joon was surprised.

“They are related to cancer and immune cells?”

—That’s right.

“Professor Kagekuni?”

—-...

“Or Professor Oliver?”

—Phew... I won’t say anything. Anyway, it will be an event that will definitely help you. Could you come to Karolinska for a little bit?

Kakegunia and Oliver were the ones who created a sensation at the cancer conference a few years ago with the development of the immune checkpoint inhibitor.

“Would I be able to learn about their research if I go there?”

—They happen to be preparing a seminar. Professor Kakeguni is giving a lecture.

“I will go,” Young-Joon said.

* * *

Scientists studied their entire lives; they studied for ten years from undergraduate until they finished graduate school, and they studied again after getting a job. They weren’t learning their new responsibilities, but actually learning new knowledge by printing out papers and highlighting the main ideas. It was because they would fall behind in their field if they didn’t.

However, reading papers was not the only way; attending conferences was a good way to study as well.

‘I should bring the hands-on employees since it’s a difficult and important project.’

It was also a form of benefit that the company was providing to those who had worked hard.

Young-Joon posted an announcement to the scientists at A-Bio to gather participants for the conference.

[We are looking for scientists to attend the Anticancer Immunotherapy Seminar at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden for a six-night trip. Flight and hotel accommodation will be provided by the company.]

1. Kkondae is an expression in Korea used to describe a condescending older person. Kkondae are often very stubborn and expect unconditional obedience from their juniors. ?