Reform of scientific research still needed despite Tu's Nobel

William Campbell, Satoshi Omura and Tu Youyou jointly won the 2015 Nobel Prize for medicine for their work against parasitic diseases. [Photo/CFP]

Chinese scientist Tu Youyou was named one of the joint winners of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her role in creating a drug that proved effective in fighting malaria. Comments:

Tu has never been elected to be an academician, the top domestic title for researchers, yet her achievement is now globally recognized. Domestic institutions tend to judge a researcher's achievement by how many papers he or she publishes each year, while true achievement lies in persistent research that might not produce any result until decades later. The case should remind us of the need to reform the domestic research management mechanism, so that those doing long-term research receive due honor and rewards.

Beijing News, Oct 6

Many people said online that Tu alone was awarded the Nobel Prize yet her achievement wouldn't be possible without excellent teamwork. The Nobel Prize committee tends to bestow the award on the person who first raised the innovative idea and succeeded in turning it into reality. By doing so they do not mean to undervalue teamwork; they mean to encourage those who think innovatively.

Zhang Tiankan, columnist and former medical researcher, Oct 7

Tu Youyou and other researchers achieved the breakthrough more than four decades ago, when scientific research lacked fund, advanced equipment and exchanges with other countries. The Nobel prizes or key essays in renowned magazines are only one of the means to measure scientific researchers' performance. The most important is that the Chinese scientists should be confident of themselves and persist with their careers. Science has its own laws. Scientists can only make progress step by step, just as Tu did. There is no shortcut to success.

People's Daily, Oct 6

Tu's award triggered the age-old debate about traditional Chinese medicine. Modern Western pharmacology supported her in extracting artemisinin, but the achievement at least proved that traditional herbal medicine is something worth researching. That will promote the development of TCM.

Southern Metropolis Daily, Oct 7

Many domestic scientists are working hard in their laboratories. Their work could save lives or make our lives better. In order to encourage domestic researchers to be innovative, China needs more academic innovation, as well as better protection of intellectual property rights. Hopefully more Chinese citizens will receive global awards in the not-so-distant future.

Beijing Youth Daily, Oct 6