Not-So-Low-Hanging Fruit: Journey from Identifying HCV to Proving It Pathogen of Hepatitis C

Authors

Xiaofei FAN, Department of Philosophy, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China School of Health Humanities, Peking University, Beijing 100191, ChinaFollow
Cheng ZHOU, Department of Philosophy, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China School of Health Humanities, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China

Keywords

epatitis C virus (HCV); cDNA clone; Koch's postulates; scientific research; the Nobel Prize; history of natural science

Document Type

S & T and Society

Abstract

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2020 was awarded jointly to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton, and Charles M. Rice for their contributions in the discovery of hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, eight years lapsed between Houghton hunting down the virus in 1989 and Rice proving HCV alone could cause hepatitis in 1997. How did this seemingly low-hanging fruit turn out to take so long? We reviewed literature to piece together studies during those years, and determined contributions by different groups (Rice's group included). Through a close look into its performance at two milestones (determining the 3'-terminal sequence of HCV genome RNA and constructing an infectious molecular clone), we analyzed, from dimensions of technology stack, path dependence, and goal setting, why Rice's group leapfrogged its competitive peers.

First page

490

Last Page

501

Language

Chinese

Publisher

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences

References

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Recommended Citation

FAN, Xiaofei and ZHOU, Cheng (2021) "Not-So-Low-Hanging Fruit: Journey from Identifying HCV to Proving It Pathogen of Hepatitis C," Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version): Vol. 36 : Iss. 4 , Article 18.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.16418/j.issn.1000-3045.20210131002
Available at: https://bulletinofcas.researchcommons.org/journal/vol36/iss4/18