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.

Old pandemics can also re-emerge if not given proper attention, so disease control and prevention is absolutely critical in maintaining social order and security.

I am not really afraid of pandemics, even when facing something as new and terrifying as SARS, because the three core principles of disease control－early diagnoses, quarantine, and control－never change.

Through the hard work of our scientists, China has an advanced pandemic monitoring and early warning system which allows us to identify and diagnose new viruses within days.

But there is still room for improvement in the efficiency of diagnosis, especially in the rural areas. Diagnosis has to be quick and accurate, followed by an immediate response to quarantine the area and cut off the channels by which a virus can spread.

This may inconvenience the public, but it is for the greater good. Combating a pandemic is a monumental task, and no man can do it alone, that's why I have trained so many students.

I wanted to make sure they had the most comprehensive and in-depth knowledge about the subject, so in 1990, I wrote a textbook called Molecular Virology.

I also ask my students to keep a keen eye on the latest global trends and pay close attention to cutting-edge scientific developments in their fields. Since 2001, I have been writing a newsletter about the latest data, technology and trends in virology.

I will donate the 5 million yuan ($770,000) from the 2017 State Preeminent Science and Technology Award to research. I'm a simple man; as long as my car has wheels and I have a few dumplings to eat I am happy.

I hope younger generations of scientists will be as happy. Researching viruses is tough, and with their talent they could find higher-paying work elsewhere.

However, someone has to be capable of protecting China from new pandemics. I chose this path because the country's need is my command. I hope others will do the same.

Hou Yunde spoke with Zhang Zhihao.