Harry Potter: Using science to be IMMORTAL

"What's the situation?"

Murphy was astonished, barely getting started and already facing disaster?

"It's like digging our own grave as soon as we step in," he thought.

"The Medicines Safety Committee demands we conduct clinical trials first, and they're preparing to issue a ban to stop the sale of Dittany Medicine," Patrick explained.

"If the ban is issued, just the breach of contract fees for the orders will be enough to give us a headache."

Murphy frowned, "The Bluestone Group?"

"Not just them, there's also WeCan, GlaxoSmithKline, and Jelixon…"

The companies Patrick mentioned were giants in the British pharmaceutical industry, far larger than Bluestone and even more daunting opponents for Umbrella Corporation at its current stage.

"They're the most influential in fields like anti-inflammatory, pain relief, and antibacterial drugs, but Dittany Medicine has obliterated their market in trauma treatment."

"Besides pressuring through the Safety Committee, they've also stirred up public opinion. Now many media outlets, including the BBC, are questioning the safety of Dittany Medicine."

The BBC, always a double-edged sword.

Murphy wasn't surprised; with real money at stake, it was expected they'd use any means necessary.

"Do we have any options?" Murphy asked.

"Jelixon has proposed buying us out," Patrick said. "In fact, several companies have indirectly expressed their intent to acquire us."

"In their dreams!" Murphy dismissed the idea without a second thought. "But you can keep talking to them, stalling for time is good too."

"What about the clinical trial license?"

Patrick shook his head, "They're planning to bleed us dry. It's unlikely we'll get the license anytime soon."

"Didn't you say it might be easier to get a license in the US? Apply there, or in France. Just get a license as soon as possible."

"But the Safety Committee might not recognize a license from another country."

"It doesn't matter. At least we'll have more evidence to support us for those willing to believe in us."

"Alright," Patrick nodded. "There's something else."

He turned on the TV in the room, which was broadcasting a fire scene.

Murphy glanced at the headline, "London King's Cross Underground Fire! Hundreds Trapped! Forty-seven injured so far…"

He flipped through a few channels, all covering the incident.

Murphy looked at Patrick, understanding the gravity but wondering, "I'm not a firefighter, why show me this?"

"I want to use this opportunity to donate Dittany Medicine to the victims. It's very effective for burns. If applied in time, it can even heal severe burns very well…"

"If we can guide the media a bit, it might improve our public image."

Murphy glanced at the TV again. The incident seemed to be a major deal, attracting national media attention. If they could leverage this focus, perhaps it could generate positive publicity for Dittany Medicine.

After some thought, Murphy decided against it.

"Go ahead and donate some Dittany Medicine, but keep it low-key. Don't draw too much attention."

The spotlight from a disaster event carries immense persuasive power, capable of turning an ordinary person into a hero overnight.

But this kind of emotionally charged attention can also cause significant damage, destroying someone just as easily.

Murphy didn't think Umbrella Corporation could control such a force at the moment.

"But public opinion is heavily against us, with WeCan and others having many renowned experts. If they speak out against Dittany Medicine, even without a ban, our sales will suffer."

Murphy felt the headache too. Having a good product is one thing, but convincing buyers of its quality is another.

"But don't use this approach. The fire incident is currently too sensitive, and mishandling it could backfire. Think of something else?"

Patrick pondered for a while, "Perhaps we can preempt them, find some experts to endorse us."

A good idea, Murphy nodded, "Any candidates?"

"Yes!"

"Remember the growth factor I mentioned? The way Dittany Medicine works is somewhat similar to the rumored growth factors. Last year, the discovery of growth factors just won the Nobel Prize. If it's that lady, she could be very helpful."

"Who?"

"Last year's Nobel Prize laureate. Rita Levi-Montalcini. She's Italian but a very active scientist with a strong influence across Europe."

"She has a lecture in Cambridge soon, but someone of her caliber, I don't have the right channels, and she might not be willing to meet us."

Murphy thought for a moment, "I'll give it a try."

Cambridge, Silver Street.

Murphy entered Darwin College at the University of Cambridge.

Since last year, Darwin College has been inviting authoritative scholars from various fields to hold several lectures at the Mrs. Michel Hall.

And today's speaker was Rita Levi-Montalcini.

Murphy arrived early and strolled around the campus.

Watching the bustling students, he felt a long-lost sensation, lightening his mood.

After crashing a small barbecue and snagging a couple of beef slices, Murphy headed to the venue.

By then, the hall was packed, but as Murphy walked through, people instinctively made way for him. When he reached the first row, a student suddenly remembered something urgent and left, offering his seat to Murphy.

Using the Muggle-Repelling Charm on oneself or directing it at someone or something results in such an effect.

Murphy took the seat without hesitation.

After a wait, the lecture began, and an elegant elderly lady with white hair took the stage.

"Oh, what a surprise," the lady began. "To see so many young people willing to listen to an old woman ramble. I thought they were joking when they said this place would be packed."

Today's lecture topic was "Neuronal Growth," and Rita started with her observations of chicken embryo neural development in her bedroom during WWII. It was this research that led to the discovery of growth factors and her Nobel Prize.

Rita was an excellent speaker, making the scientific discovery process engaging and fun.

Such an opportunity to hear a Nobel laureate lecture was rare, and Murphy listened intently, almost forgetting his purpose.

As the lecture ended amid thunderous applause, Rita returned backstage, and Murphy quickly followed.

Easily moving through the crowd, he approached Rita, "Professor, may I have a moment of your time? I have a Nobel-level discovery to discuss with you."

"Oh, young man, you should hurry and publish your paper then."

Clearly, this pitch wasn't enough to catch the attention of a luminary.

"I've discovered a drug that can repair damaged nerve cells in an extremely short time!"

"Peripheral nerve repair is a normal mechanism, and acceleration under certain growth factors is possible. However, if you've identified a precise molecular pathway, that would make for a fine dissertation. If you have questions in this area, we can correspond by letter."

"What if it's completed within a few minutes?"

"That's impossible," Rita said. "Biochemical processes can be very fast on a microscopic level, but on a macro scale, the generation and distribution of large amounts of substances, along with the inhibition of damaged tissues and scar cells, significantly slow down the repair process. Even in vitro conditions, it's hard to complete repair in just a few minutes."

Murphy smiled; the conversation had entered his domain of expertise.

"I can show you."