09.17
·Reported
·Importance II
·Sources 1
·湖南省武冈市
Zhu Yuejun, a PhD student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine who once studied under Wang Zhenyi, failed to receive his degree due to academic disagreements. Since 1993, he has been practicing medicine in his hometown of Wugang, Hunan, and currently lives in financial distress relying on minimum living allowances. His experience has sparked discussions on academic authorities suppressing dissent.
2024.09.23
·Verified
·Importance IV
·Sources 1
·Beijing
Around September 23, 2024, biologist Rao Yi published “Facts Trump Emotion: Wang Zhenyi, Chen Zhu, Chen Saijuan’s Research and Zhu Yuejun” on his WeChat public account, carrying out a professional verification of the historical literature and timeline. Rao Yi pointed out that the core breakthrough of all-trans retinoic acid-induced differentiation therapy for leukemia predates Zhu Yuejun’s doctoral studies, so there was no plagiarism; Zhu Yuejun’s research foundation was at the doctoral level, and his failure to obtain a degree was the combined result of academic disputes, difficulties in interpersonal communication, and the evaluation mechanisms of the time. He called on the public to view this historical tragedy rationally rather than engaging in an emotional witch hunt.
2024.09.20
·Verified
·Importance IV
·Sources 1
·湖南省邵阳市武冈市
On September 20, 2024, facing rumors continuing to swirl online about his "results being plagiarized and suppressed," Zhu Yuejun accepted a public interview to clarify the facts. He stated explicitly that his results had not been stolen, and that his failure to graduate back then was due to disagreements with his supervisor over research approaches that he refused to compromise on, rather than deliberate suppression by his supervisor; he said he had been unlucky but did not regret it, and that he had always been full of admiration for the pioneering contributions to medicine made by senior scholars such as Academician Wang Zhenyi.
2024.09
·Verified
·Importance IV
·Sources 2
·湖南省邵阳市武冈市
In mid-September 2024, as Academician Wang Zhenyi was awarded the "Medal of the Republic," videos from self-media outlets visiting Zhu Yuejun, who practices medicine in poverty in rural Wugang, Hunan, went viral on platforms like Douyin and Weibo. The stark contrast between his past role as the first author of a top-tier leukemia paper and his current status as a village doctor living on social security caused a sensation online, rapidly evolving into a public opinion storm regarding "stolen achievements and academic lords suppressing those from humble backgrounds."
1993.07
·Verified
·Importance III
·Sources 1
·湖南省邵阳市武冈市
After leaving Shanghai, Zhu Yuejun returned to his hometown — Guizhu Village, Chushutang Town, Wugang County (now Wugang City), Shaoyang City, Hunan Province — to open a private clinic. Over the following 30-plus years, he remained rooted in the countryside, treating and practicing medicine for his fellow villagers. In his later years, due to a meager income and a frugal life, he relied on a monthly subsistence allowance (dibao) to make a living.
1993
·Verified
·Importance IV
·Sources 2
·Shanghai
In 1993, during the later stages of his doctoral studies, Zhu Yuejun had serious disagreements with his supervisor's team over his academic views and research direction. He was unable to sit for and pass his dissertation defense, and ultimately obtained only a doctoral completion certificate from Shanghai Second Medical University, after which he left the university research system.
1992.04
·Verified
·Importance IV
·Sources 1
·Shanghai
In April 1992, Zhu Yuejun, as first author, published the academic paper "Molecular Markers of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia and Their Significance in the Study of Cell Differentiation" in the National Medical Journal of China, with Wang Zhenyi, Chen Zhu, Chen Saijuan and others as co-authors. The paper systematically discussed molecular genetic markers and mechanisms of cell differentiation under all-trans retinoic acid-induced differentiation therapy.
1991.11
·Verified
·Importance IV
·Sources 1
·Shanghai
In November 1991, the team at the Shanghai Institute of Hematology published important research findings in Blood, an international top-tier hematology journal, on acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) retinoic acid receptor (RARA) rearrangement and molecular markers. Chen Saijuan was the first author, Zhu Yuejun the second author, and Wang Zhenyi, Chen Zhu and others were co-authors.
1989.09
·Verified
·Importance III
·Sources 1
·Shanghai
In September 1989, Zhu Yuejun, who had graduated from Hengyang Medical College, worked at the Second Xiangya Hospital and obtained a master's degree from Guiyang Medical College, was admitted to Shanghai Second Medical University (now Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine) to pursue a doctoral degree. He joined the team of Professor Wang Zhenyi, a leading authority in hematology, and participated in research on the mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid-induced differentiation of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells.