By Xiong Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-10-09 07:29

While preparing a meeting with a group of science writers from Germany, the sponsor asked me to try to answer these questions: What does "progress" in life sciences mean in China? How is the progress evaluated?

I find the philosophical questions tremendously interesting.

Today, the reply to the questions seem simple: Researchers tend to evaluate the progress in life sciences, and in other scientific domains, by two criteria: international recognition and economic gains.

By international recognition there are some hard references: the number of articles in international journals, the science citation index (SCI), international awards and grants, and other honors.

For instance, a scientist who wins membership of an international science academy would be given some publicity in the Chinese media. Projects in collaboration with internationally renowned institutions are also regarded as international recognition.

By economic gains there are also apparent references, such as the funding of a research project by domestic and international sources, and the profit it produces.

Although there is talk about contribution to the country's economic development, in many institutions the two criteria are a gauge to evaluate research, and is the focus of attention of researchers.

Are these two criteria the only gauge to our progress in life sciences?

If so, the first 30 years of the People's Republic of China seemed to have made little progress to speak of in life sciences. The period looked pale as throughout the 1950s to the late 1970s China hardly had any articles about its life sciences published in international journals.

Yet we did witness a number of breakthroughs in this field in China during these three decades, which has won international recognition, albeit belatedly, in recent years.

One was the total synthetic crystalline bovine insulin achieved by Chinese scientists in 1965, after seven years of research. The project pooled the cream of biologists, biochemists, physiologists and other life scientists then in the country and produced a number of findings.

Another important accomplishment in China's life sciences was the development of artemether, a derivative of a medicinal herb called Qing Hao, or Artemisia Annua Linn, in the early 1970s. It is now recognized by the World Health Organization as an effective cure for malaria.

One of the most brilliant achievements was the development of hybrid rice, also made in the 1970s. Professor Yuan Longping, known as the "Father of Hybrid Rice", began his quest in 1964 and achieved success in 1973 by producing the first crop of the rice.

The rice is able to produce on average 20 percent more than a normal crop and has benefited millions of people. Today the yield of hybrid rice accounts for 57 percent of the total rice production in China.

None of these three accomplishments were featured in international journals at the time. These achievements were all made under extremely difficult conditions, when China was suffering a blockade imposed on it by Western powers and had very limited international communication.

Economically poor, the country did not have any modern equipment to facilitate research.

Yet no one can deny these achievements and they remain amazing to this day.

Also noteworthy in China's life sciences during the first 30 years was the progress made in life expectancy, an important health index of a nation.

In 1949, when the People's Republic was founded, the average life expectancy was barely 35 years. By 1979 when China began to reform and open up, life expectancy had increased to nearly 70 years. Now it is about 72.

In the last three decades our life expectancy has increased by only two years, while in the first 30 years it almost doubled.

Again we hardly saw any publications in international journals about this achievement. But that is progress that every citizen of China can be proud of. Progress that has laid a solid foundation today for the advancement of the country's life sciences.

In the recent 30 years Chinese life scientists have gained a lot of international recognition with publications in international journals, collaboration with internationally renowned institutions, international honors and prizes. They indeed represent remarkable progress in China's life sciences.

But how many of them can match the total synthetic crystalline bovine insulin, artemether and hybrid rice our life scientists achieved at a time when they could not have access to international publications and SCIs?

If we agree that the fundamental mission of Chinese life scientists is to meet the target of feeding the world's largest population and keeping the people fit, we should see that publications, SCIs and profits of a certain research project are not the only gauge to evaluate the progress of life sciences.

After all, the core value of life sciences is to serve the people.

The author is a council member of China Society for Human Rights Studies

(China Daily 10/09/2007 page10)