Doctor Lu surveyed his workplace with a smile. Four months ago the prominent Chinese scientist had relocated to a world-famous university in southern California. And although it had taken him a few weeks to adjust to the rhythm of life in America, the professor had settled in quite well. There were still days he missed the bustle of life in Nanjing, but the United States had benefits China could still not offer, not the least of which was the new state-of-the-art bioinformatics laboratory his department chair had used to lure him across the Pacific.

All in all, between his new research center and his exceptionally talented graduate students, the worst Professor Lu could say about his new position was the complex approval process required for even the most transparently harmless biochemical research. Fortunately, given that his lab bordered the edge of campus, this extra layer of administrative scrutiny had yet to frustrate him. And as long as he continued to publish and draw the department new grant money, his life promised to be as tranquil and productive as any man of science could reasonably expect.