Recently, the renowned virologist Zhang Yongzhen’s laboratory in mainland China was reportedly forcibly shut down. Zhang Yongzhen claimed that without being able to take research samples or personal belongings, he was escorted out of the building by security guards and had to sleep outside the laboratory door overnight.
On April 26th, students from the research team of Zhang Yongzhen, a former virologist at the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, posted a lengthy article on Weibo stating that the authorities obstructed Zhang Yongzhen’s virus research and forcibly closed the laboratory.
A Weibo user named “年年在搬家” (always moving) posted a blog saying that on April 25th, without prior communication, the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center unilaterally informed the team to vacate the laboratory within two days on the 26th and 27th.
“The Public Health Center closed the laboratory before 8 am today, and up to now, no team members are allowed to enter the laboratory or office to take personal belongings. The experiments halfway done by students are basically irretrievable. We don’t understand who gave them the right to tear up the agreement and seize so many people’s personal belongings. Tomorrow, we will listen to everyone’s suggestions, explore various channels for complaints and resistance to uphold our legal rights.”
The blog also mentioned that in 2020, the Public Health Center transferred Zhang Yongzhen from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention to work at the Public Health Center, but has not processed Zhang Yongzhen’s formal employment, leading to Zhang Yongzhen being unemployed and losing social security benefits after the laboratory was forcibly closed.
On the evening of the 28th, “年年在搬家” continued to post on Weibo, stating that Zhang Yongzhen had returned to the laboratory, and the students had also returned to rest. Zhang Yongzhen will continue to fight on behalf of the team, but some students and team members are unwilling to go back.
Zhang Yongzhen commented, “Unable to enter the beloved laboratory where I have worked tirelessly for years, I can only sleep outside the door!”
On the 29th, the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center released a statement, stating that some laboratories belonging to the center needed renovation, and for safety reasons, they were closed for construction. For the researchers from Zhang Yongzhen’s team conducting scientific research in the area, the hospital provided alternative office and laboratory space in the research building, with relevant relocation plans already prepared and communicated in advance.
Subsequently, Zhang Yongzhen responded with a lengthy post on social media, stating that the Public Health Center abruptly held an emergency meeting last week, announced the laboratory renovation in just 1 minute, and ordered the team to vacate within two days. The team had expressed opinions to the leadership, but received no response. Later, the team proactively raised demands and willingness to negotiate, but no relocation plan was offered. Not only were his personal belongings prohibited from being taken, even when he wanted to seek shelter from the rain inside the building, security guards drove him away.
“Despite the light rain last night, the Public Health Center did not allow me and my students to seek shelter in the office within the laboratory. I have been lying outside since last night.”
Zhang Yongzhen is a renowned virologist in mainland China. After the outbreak of the CCP virus (COVID-19) epidemic, on January 5, 2020, Zhang Yongzhen’s laboratory claimed to have sequenced the full genome of the virus, which was published on January 11. The publication of this sequence was described by the journal Nature as a turning point in the global fight against the epidemic.
According to official information, the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center is a Grade A tertiary hospital, also known as the Fudan University Affiliated Public Health Clinical Center. It is also a WHO Collaborating Centre for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases Clinical Research and Training, a national key specialized construction project, and one of the key disciplines in infectious disease construction units in Shanghai.
The Secretary of the Party Committee of the center is Fan Xiaohong, and the Director of the center is Shen Yinzong. Zhang Yongzhen is a professor at the center. On October 10, 2020, the unveiling ceremony of the establishment of the Institute of Pathogenic Biology of East China was held at the Public Health Clinical Center in Shanghai, with Zhang Yongzhen and Shi Zhengli (part-time) appointed as the director and deputy director, respectively.