ALS, the scientific name of ALS, is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The muscles gradually shrank and became weak, and slowly, they went from being as fast as they could not open their mouths to speak, until they became paralyzed, as if their bodies were gradually frozen... The Internet "ice bucket challenge" more than a decade ago made many people realize that there is actually such a terrible disease in the world, almost equating it with a "terminal illness".

Don Cleveland, who was the one who just wiped out this ¡°equivalent¡±. The renowned American neurobiologist and oncologist, won the 2018 ¡°Life Science Breakthrough Award¡± for his achievements in the study of the pathological mechanisms of genetic progressive disease, as well as the exploration of new treatments for diseases such as progressive disease, which was established by digital multinational Internet entrepreneurs and has the reputation of the ¡°Oscars of the science community¡±.

On October 24, the day before the opening of the 2025 World Top Scientists Forum, Dajiangdong-Fudan Media Innovation Studio met this scientist who brought hope to patients with gradual freezing at Shanghai Lingang Center.

Talking about the keywords on his scientific research path, Cleveland gave a rather "old-fashioned" answer--¡°In the fields of biology and medicine, intelligence is good, but it is neither necessary nor sufficient; it is good to be good at experimenting, but it is neither necessary nor sufficient.

The courage of the freezing patient.

"I met him twice and he was very amazing."

Freezing is a neurodegenerative disorder, Parkinson¡¯s disease, Alzheimer¡¯s disease, and Huntington¡¯s dance disease are all of these, either physical out of control, or unpredictable behavior, or gradually blurred memory, causing tremendous pain to patients and families.

Cleveland is at the 2025 World's Top Scientists Forum. Photo provided by the World's Top Scientists Forum

¡°For neurodegenerative diseases, we want to determine which genes are causing or promoting the development of diseases, which are widely present in multiple cells in the nervous system. If their activity can be reduced, it is possible to find effective ways to treat the disease.¡±

So Cleveland devoted itself to antisense oligonucleotide therapy (ASO)-the widespread delivery of customized DNA drugs into the human nervous system to inhibit the activity of disease-causing genes.

When this study was first carried out, many scholars questioned its technical feasibility. "However, in our first experiment, we found that this general view is wrong. The experiment finally succeeded!"

Speaking of this experience, he gave a few suggestions to young people:The recognized "facts" may not be facts. First understand the known knowledge, think about which facts have been proven, and then decide what to do according to your own judgment. "Be brave, don't be timid."

Cleveland was undoubtedly the ¡°courageous one,¡± and he also admired the brave one.

In 2019, Tsai Li, the only 41 year-old vice president of the Kyoto Group, was diagnosed with prognosis. He was reluctant and declared war on prognosis, receiving great attention on the Internet.

"I have met Cai Lei twice. He is very amazing." Cleveland said that Cai Lei's story of fighting ALS inspired many people and had a great influence in the Chinese community around the world.¡°I asked colleagues at the University of California, San Diego, if they had heard of him, and one of them asked, ¡®Have you ever met him?¡¯¡±

Cleveland not only met Zee Li, but also left a note to him, "I praise his courage - even if he is seriously ill and persists in carrying out related activities; also praise him for telling these experiences through social media."

So, can "ALS" be defeated? Cleveland gave a clear answer: "We absolutely have the ability to effectively treat some of these diseases. For hereditary ALS, ASO therapy has reversed part of the disease. Although the effect is not ideal enough, it is already a great improvement. This shows that these diseases can be treated with the right drugs."

To confirm his judgment, he specifically mentioned that before he came to Shanghai to participate in the world's top scientists forum, he just went to Budapest to participate in an ASO therapy research conference, with about 1000 people attending, and about 100 companies attending, everyone is trying to improve existing drugs, "I believe that after 5 years of looking at the results now, you will feel backward, and then there will be better therapies.

AI changes everything: ¡°Not necessary! in drug testing, you have to give research enough time¡±

¡°Almost everyone is saying that artificial intelligence will change everything, but I have a reservation about it.Maybe I¡¯m older and haven¡¯t used AI at all.¡±When asked whether artificial intelligence would have an impact on his field of research, Cleveland blinked.

Cleveland is at the 2025 World's Top Scientists Forum. Photo provided by the World's Top Scientists Forum

Although artificial intelligence has achieved widespread applications in the fields of biology and medicine, Cleveland believes that it has not yet achieved the results we expect, more staying only at the level of "potential" and not achieving too much of the transformation of practical results.

Cleveland laughed at himself, because of his conservative thinking, and said, ¡°Is the application of AI in science really a potential or a name?

He thinks,AI can undoubtedly accelerate the screening, design and development process of drugs. In this sense, artificial intelligence will definitely play an active role in the biochemical field in the future. However, drug research and development takes time. Compared with the research and development process itself, drug testing requires more time and patience from researchers.

"The core question of the test is'whether the patient's condition has improved '". To do so, researchers need to do a lot of trial and error, Cleveland said. If you want to observe the long-term efficacy of a certain drug, you must invest a long enough observation time, which is very important for many experiments, especially the research of neurodegenerative diseases. "If you expect to see the efficacy immediately, it is unrealistic.You must be patient and give enough time for scientific research.¡±

Cleveland, who is responsible for the study of prognosis therapy, has successfully completed two clinical trials, two failed, and several are underway. Therefore, the actual effects of this therapy and whether it can really benefit patients must also be judged by the results of long-term clinical trials.

Per this ¡°conservative¡± attitude is reflected in Cleveland¡¯s strict attitude toward science, and in his patience and persistence in the search for truth.

The scientist unexpectedly invoked the philosopher Schopenhauer.

¡°The new truth must go through three stages: first to be denied, then to be fiercely opposed, and finally to be acknowledged as an obvious fact, as if everybody had always known it was right.¡± ¨C Cleveland says, ¡°Science is the same, people choose to believe in views that have long been deeply rooted, and when new evidence appears they will be opposed by many parties, and that¡¯s why I¡¯ve experienced many such situations, which is why I say that perseverance is so important.

"The next generation of leaders in scientific development,

It may be China.¡±

Keeping a distance from artificial intelligence and adhering to clinical trials is Cleveland's rigorous attitude towards science. He also emphasized that the nature of science is international.¡°Science is inherently an international undertaking. The stage of science is not just confrontation between countries, but the coexistence of cooperation and competition, which together drive the progress of science.¡±

Cleveland receives an interview with the Big Jiangdong-Fujian Media Innovation Studio.

This philosophy is also reflected in Cleveland's attitude towards the forum of the world's top scientists. "Every scientist wants to make a breakthrough, and we applaud the achievements of others and hope we can achieve that." Cleveland believes,International scientific events such as the World's Top Scientists Forum can bring together the wisdom of all parties and promote both cooperation and competition."I think both aspects are positive and deserve recognition."

Perhaps due to its insistence on the internationalization of science, Cleveland's research footprints spread around the world. These days, he rushed from Budapest to Shanghai, and then to Spain. His students and laboratory colleagues also come from all over the world, including many China scholars and Chinese scholars.

Referring to his academic experience in China, he joked,"When I first came to China, you were not even born!" He has gone to Peking University, Fudan University, West Lake University...In China, he has seen that many fields of scientific research are full of vitality and have reached a truly world-class level. In particular, he said that emerging research institutions such as Westlake University are actively recruiting top talents from all over the world. This open talent policy is changing the overall face of science in China.

"While many other countries in the world are reducing their investment in scientific research, China is investing heavily in scientific research." Cleveland bluntly said that from the perspective of the future of scientific development,The United States has been the world's leader in scientific development for the past generation, but the next generation of leader in scientific development is likely to be China.

He also objectively pointed out that ¡°the United States is still the world¡¯s best in postdoctoral training¡± and therefore suggested that young Chinese scholars should ¡°expose themselves to the way people do things and think elsewhere¡±, this open and inclusive attitude is precisely the reflection of the spirit of scientific internationalism.

Cleveland said that if the scientific achievement has a final criterion for judgment, it should depend on whether it has advanced human perception of truth.The scientific truth we are looking for is not the truth of China or the truth of the United States, but the same answer that everyone will eventually get.¡±¡£

Dajiangdong-Fudan Media Innovation Studio