Virologist who was first to share Covid genome sleeps on street after lab shuts

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01293-0

Zhang Yongzhen shared the genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 with the world, speeding up the development of vaccines.

Zhang Yongzhen, the first scientist to publish a sequence of the COVID-19 virus, looks at a presentation on his laptop in a coffeeshop in Shanghai, China on Dec. 13, 2020.

Zhang Yongzhen, the first person to publicly release the genome sequence of the virus that causes COVID-19, was camping outside his laboratory. Credit: Dake Kang/AP via Alamy

The first person to publicly release the genome sequence of the virus that causes COVID-19 — virologist Zhang Yongzhen — seems to have resolved a public dispute with the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center (SPHCC), Fudan University, China, which erupted last week.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01293-0

Updates & Corrections

  • Update 03 May 2024: The text was altered to reflect the fact that Zhang's social media posts have been removed

  • Correction 03 May 2024: Zhang's social media post regarding the agreement with SPHCC was posted after midnight on Tuesday night. The text has been corrected for accuracy.

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"title": "Virologist who was first to share Covid genome sleeps on street after lab shuts",
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"author": "Smriti Mallapaty",
"date": "2024-05-01T00:00:00.000Z",
"description": "Zhang Yongzhen shared the genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 with the world, speeding up the development of vaccines.",
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"title": "Chinese virologist who was first to share COVID-19 genome sleeps on street after lab shuts",
"url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01293-0"
}
{
"url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01293-0",
"title": "Chinese virologist who was first to share COVID-19 genome sleeps on street after lab shuts",
"description": "Zhang Yongzhen shared the genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 with the world, speeding up the development of vaccines. Zhang Yongzhen shared the genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 with the world, speeding up the development of vaccines.",
"links": [
"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01293-0"
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"content": "<div>\n <article>\n<div>\n <div>\n <ul>\n <li><span>NEWS</span></li>\n <li>01 May 2024</li>\n <li>Update <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01293-0#correction-0\">03 May 2024</a></li>\n <li>Correction <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01293-0#correction-1\">03 May 2024</a></li>\n </ul>\n <div>\n <p>\n Zhang Yongzhen shared the genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 with the world, speeding up the development of vaccines.\n </p>\n </div>\n </div>\n</div>\n <div>\n <figure>\n <picture>\n <source type=\"image/webp\" srcset=\"https://media.nature.com/w1248/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01293-0/d41586-024-01293-0_27038892.jpg?as=webp 1248w, https://media.nature.com/w767/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01293-0/d41586-024-01293-0_27038892.jpg?as=webp 767w, https://media.nature.com/w319/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01293-0/d41586-024-01293-0_27038892.jpg?as=webp 319w\" sizes=\"100vw, 767px\"></source>\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/w767/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01293-0/d41586-024-01293-0_27038892.jpg\" alt=\"Zhang Yongzhen, the first scientist to publish a sequence of the COVID-19 virus, looks at a presentation on his laptop in a coffeeshop in Shanghai, China on Dec. 13, 2020.\" />\n </picture>\n <div>\n <figcaption>\n <p>Zhang Yongzhen, the first person to publicly release the genome sequence of the virus that causes COVID-19, was camping outside his laboratory. Credit: Dake Kang/AP via Alamy</p>\n </figcaption>\n </div>\n</figure>\n </div>\n <div>\n <p>The first person to publicly release the genome sequence of the virus that causes COVID-19 — virologist Zhang Yongzhen — seems to have resolved a public dispute with the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center (SPHCC), Fudan University, China, which erupted last week.</p>\n <div>\n <h2 id=\"access-options\">Access options</h2>\n <section><div>\n <p>\n Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals\n </p>\n <p>\n Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription\n </p>\n <div>\n <p>\n <span>$32.99<span> / 30 days</span></span>\n </p>\n <p>cancel any time</p>\n </div>\n </div><div>\n <p>Subscribe to this journal</p>\n <p>\n Receive 51 print issues and online access\n </p>\n <div>\n <p>$199.00 per year</p>\n <p>only $3.90 per issue</p>\n </div>\n </div><div>\n <p>Rent or buy this article</p>\n <p>Prices vary by article type</p>\n <p><span>from</span>$1.95</p>\n <p><span>to</span>$39.95</p>\n </div><p>Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout</p></section>\n <h3>Additional access options:</h3>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://idp.nature.com/authorize/natureuser?client_id=grover&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-01293-0\">Log in</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.springernature.com/gp/librarians/licensing/license-options\">Learn about institutional subscriptions</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://support.nature.com/en/support/home\">Read our FAQs</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.springernature.com/gp/contact\">Contact customer support</a>\n </li>\n </ul>\n </div>\n <p><em>doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01293-0</em></p>\n <div>\n <h3>Updates &amp; Corrections</h3>\n <ul><li>\n <p><strong>Update 03 May 2024</strong>: The text was altered to reflect the fact that Zhang's social media posts have been removed</p>\n </li><li>\n <p><strong>Correction 03 May 2024</strong>: Zhang's social media post regarding the agreement with SPHCC was posted after midnight on Tuesday night. The text has been corrected for accuracy.</p>\n </li>\n </ul>\n </div>\n <h2 id=\"related-articles\">Related Articles</h2>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03435-6\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01293-0/d41586-024-01293-0_18676088.jpg\" />\n Nature’s 10: ten people who helped shape science in 2020\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00827-2\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01293-0/d41586-024-01293-0_24655478.jpg\" />\n COVID-origins study links raccoon dogs to Wuhan market: what scientists think\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00732-0\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01293-0/d41586-024-01293-0_24598128.jpg\" />\n Scientists struggle to probe COVID’s origins amid sparse data from China\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n </ul>\n <h2 id=\"subjects\">Subjects</h2>\n <section>\n <h2 id=\"tablist-heading\">Latest on:</h2>\n <section>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03290-3\">\n <img src=\"https://images.nature.com/w140h79/magazine-assets/d41586-025-03290-3/d41586-025-03290-3_51605116.jpg\" />\n <p>Policed and censored: professors in the southern US feel under siege</p>\n <p><span>Career News</span> <span>29 OCT 25</span></p>\n </a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03429-2\">\n <p>The race for deep-sea minerals could cause geopolitical and ecological harm</p>\n <p><span>Correspondence</span> <span>21 OCT 25</span></p>\n </a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03417-6\">\n <img src=\"https://images.nature.com/w140h79/magazine-assets/d41586-025-03417-6/d41586-025-03417-6_51596174.jpg\" />\n <p>US PhD admissions shrink as fears over Trump’s cuts take hold</p>\n <p><span>News</span> <span>21 OCT 25</span></p>\n </a>\n </li>\n </ul>\n </section>\n <section>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09689-2\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/w140h79/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1038%2Fs41586-025-09689-2/MediaObjects/41586_2025_9689_Fig1_HTML.png\" />\n <p>Multiple LDLR family members act as entry receptors for yellow fever virus</p>\n <p><span>Article</span> <span>29 OCT 25</span></p>\n </a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03334-8\">\n <img src=\"https://images.nature.com/w140h79/magazine-assets/d41586-025-03334-8/d41586-025-03334-8_51577600.jpg\" />\n <p>Measles, polio, tuberculosis: what’s causing spikes in infectious diseases?</p>\n <p><span>Nature Index</span> <span>22 OCT 25</span></p>\n </a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03432-7\">\n <img src=\"https://images.nature.com/w140h79/magazine-assets/d41586-025-03432-7/d41586-025-03432-7_51600844.jpg\" />\n <p>People with some cancers live longer after a COVID vaccine</p>\n <p><span>News</span> <span>22 OCT 25</span></p>\n </a>\n </li>\n </ul>\n </section>\n <section>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03432-7\">\n <img src=\"https://images.nature.com/w140h79/magazine-assets/d41586-025-03432-7/d41586-025-03432-7_51600844.jpg\" />\n <p>People with some cancers live longer after a COVID vaccine</p>\n <p><span>News</span> <span>22 OCT 25</span></p>\n </a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03151-z\">\n <img src=\"https://images.nature.com/w140h79/magazine-assets/d41586-025-03151-z/d41586-025-03151-z_51473926.jpg\" />\n <p>Public trust in science has declined since COVID — virologists need to unite around safety standards</p>\n <p><span>Comment</span> <span>29 SEP 25</span></p>\n </a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03054-z\">\n <img src=\"https://images.nature.com/w140h79/magazine-assets/d41586-025-03054-z/d41586-025-03054-z_51459276.jpg\" />\n <p>Hotly anticipated US vaccine meeting ends with confusion — and a few decisions</p>\n <p><span>News</span> <span>20 SEP 25</span></p>\n </a>\n </li>\n </ul>\n </section>\n</section>\n </div>\n </article>\n</div>",
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