The country's need is my command

Hou Yunde, director of the State Key Laboratory of Viral Genetic Engineering and an award-winning virologist.

I have handled countless dangerous viruses in my life. One of the questions people always ask is if I am scared of viruses.

Diseases and pandemics can decide wars, destroy nations and change the course of history, as shown by the Black Death in Europe and smallpox in North America. There is no doubt that contagious diseases are a very serious matter, and even if we have a good understanding of previous viruses, new mutations are emerging every moment.