Zhang Yongzhen, the first scientist to publish a sequence of the COVID-19 virus in China, staged a sit-in protest outside his lab in Shanghai after authorities locked him out of the facility. Zhang and his team were evicted from the lab, the latest in a series of setbacks and demotions since he published the sequence in January 2020 without state approval. Guards barred Zhang from entering the lab when he tried to go over the weekend, leading to his protest outside in the rain.
The Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center stated that Zhang’s lab was being renovated and closed for safety reasons, offering his team an alternative laboratory space. However, Zhang claimed they were not offered an alternative until after the eviction notice and that the offered lab did not meet safety standards for their research. This left his team in limbo and reflects China’s control over information related to the virus, with labs closed, collaborations shattered, and Chinese researchers facing restrictions.
Zhang’s struggles began when he decoded the virus on Jan. 5, 2020, and warned Chinese authorities of its potential to spread, without making the sequence public. After publishing the sequence on Jan. 11, 2020, despite lack of government permission, Zhang faced pressure and scrutiny from Chinese authorities. The virus eventually led to a global pandemic, disrupting lives and commerce and killing millions of people. Zhang received awards for his work, but also faced consequences such as being removed from his post and barred from collaborating.
Collaborator Edward Holmes, a virologist at the University of Sydney, noted that Zhang has been targeted ever since he released the genome sequence of the virus, causing a campaign against him. Zhang’s lab closure and eviction was seen as another tactic by authorities to restrict his research. Despite the challenges, Zhang has continued his work in defiance of government pressure, sleeping outside the lab in protest and vowing to pursue science and the truth.
Zhang’s plight highlights the ongoing pressure faced by scientists in China conducting research on the coronavirus. The government has sought to control information related to the virus, freezing domestic and international efforts to trace its origins since the early days of the outbreak. Labs have been closed, collaborations disrupted, and foreign scientists forced out, while Chinese researchers have been restricted from leaving the country.
As the situation continues to evolve, Zhang’s determination to pursue scientific research despite obstacles and challenges serves as a testament to his commitment to uncovering the truth behind the COVID-19 virus. His protest outside his lab in Shanghai has drawn attention to the ongoing struggles faced by scientists in China, and sheds light on the lengths to which authorities will go to maintain control over information related to the pandemic. Despite the difficulties he has faced, Zhang remains steadfast in his pursuit of science and the quest for knowledge.
