Photo: sz.gov.cn

"Actions speak louder than words and we welcome all of you to keep your attention on SMART," said eminent Chinese structural biologist Yan Ning on social media on Wednesday, following her decision to return to China to help set up a new medical academy in Shenzhen.

The biologist, who was the Shirley M. Tilghman Professor of Molecular Biology at Princeton University, announced on Tuesday at the Shenzhen Global Innovation Talent Forum that she will quit Princeton University and join in the establishment of Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART) in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province.

"I have received so many direct or indirect inquires from numerous media outlets and friends and I'm really sorry that I haven't answered you back. The beginning is always the hardest and actions speak louder than words. Please give us some more time to introduce SMART to all of you as soon as possible," wrote Yan on her social media account on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo. The hashtag "Yan announced to leave the US and return to China" has become a trending topic, with more than 300 million views and comments.

Yan mentioned her aspiration of setting up SMART at the invitation of the Shenzhen government in her speech yesterday. "I'm lucky to have lived in places that are suitable for scientific research, to have attracted capable students, and to have got the necessary funding," Yan said in her post.

Yan also said that she wished to encourage more young people to rely on their "inner drive" and develop their potential for original discoveries.

According to Yan's speech at the Shenzhen Global Innovation Talent Forum, SMART is an academy that integrates scientific research, student cultivation and financial support and Shenzhen is an energetic place where anything is possible.

According to the Shenzhen government, SMART was established by the Shenzhen municipal government and its dean, who will be the legal representative of the institute, will be recruited globally. The project is set to be completed in 2025 and it aims to become a world-famous medical research institution by the middle of this century.

Global Times