Introduction

In the lifecycle of scientific research, there are a lot of stumbling stones in the way. The incredibly long and costly process of bringing a new drug to market is a case in point - fraught with failures—95% of drugs entering human trials fail, with an average development cost exceeding $2 billion and taking over 13 years! Furthermore, the academic research funding model disproportionately favors well-established, tenured researchers, leaving innovative and non-conventional projects underfunded. In addition, the pressure to publish articles or research leads to issues like over-extrapolation and replication, and systemic inequalities, leaving minority groups underrepresented. These systemic issues highlight a need for innovative solutions that democratize access to research funding, foster collaboration, and maintain integrity in scientific discovery. This article thus aims at addressing 2 issues: (i) why DeSci, and (ii) how it can solve problems.

What is DeSci?

Decentralized Science (DeSci) is a new movement utilizing blockchain technology to address the core challenges in the scientific field, such as lack of funding, transparency, and collaboration. By leveraging decentralized technologies like tokens, NFTs, and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), DeSci aims to create a more open, community-driven, and incentivized approach to scientific research. It promotes transparent funding models, peer review processes, and data sharing by removing traditional gatekeepers. DeSci projects like VitaDAO, Molecule, and AminoChain exemplify how decentralized platforms can reshape how scientific research is funded, conducted, and disseminated, ultimately bridging the gap between basic research and clinical applications while ensuring ownership and transparency in data management.

Problem Statement

1. Inefficient Process of Scientific Funding

The current scientific funding system is riddled with inefficiencies, forcing researchers to dedicate nearly 80% of their time applying for funding, leaving only 20% for actual research. Imagine if software developers had to spend the majority of their efforts securing funds instead of coding—it would significantly slow technological progress, much like the outdated processes currently stalling scientific innovation.                                                                             

Early-career researchers face the greatest hurdles, with established scientists receiving the majority of grants and resources. This preferential treatment stifles fresh, unconventional ideas and limits opportunities, particularly in underrepresented regions. Moreover, the centralized, competitive and conservative funding prioritizes clichéd and mundane research over those with impactful directions.

2. Outdated Scientific Infrastructure and Fragmented Data Management Systems

The scientific research ecosystem faces significant challenges due to outdated infrastructure and fragmented data management systems. Platforms like GitHub for code and Dropbox for data create silos that limit collaboration, while many repositories fail to meet FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) standards, leading to significant data loss—up to 80% over 20 years due to issues like link rot. Additionally, intellectual property (IP) is often controlled by institutions rather than the researchers who produce the work, resulting in a loss of control when scientists move institutions and leaving early-stage data and informal collaborations unprotected. These issues, compounded by non-interoperable systems and archaic tools like fax machines, hinder collaborations, stand in the way of AI-driven research, and slow scientific innovation.

3. Under-Incentivized Replication and Unpaid Peer Review:

Replication, essential for validating scientific findings, is under-prioritized, as journals focus more on novel discoveries. This has contributed to the replication crisis, where an estimated 70% of published studies cannot be reproduced. Furthermore, scientists work unpaid peer review, the time spent on which is estimated to be worth $1.5 billion of monetary value annually, while the process often lacks transparency and fairness. The incentive compatibility issue has to be resolved to boost the efficiency and effectiveness of overall scientific research 

4. Oligarchy in Scientific Publishing

The global academic publishing landscape is dominated by five major publishers controlling nearly 50% of the market, generating $19 billion annually with profit margins as high as 40%. This oligarchical control allows publishers to act as gatekeepers, prioritizing profit over scientific merit. High publication fees—ranging from $2,000 to $12,000 per article—create significant barriers for underfunded researchers, particularly in developing regions. 

On the access side, individual articles can cost $35–$50, further limiting access to critical knowledge. These high costs and restrictive policies perpetuate inequities in knowledge sharing, prioritizing wealthier institutions and regions while excluding underfunded scientists and communities. 

5. The "Valley of Death" in Research

The traditional drug development process is both time-intensive and prohibitively expensive, often taking 10-13 years and costing over $2 billion to bring a new drug to market, whereby companies work in isolation rather than collaborating in a globally connected marketplace, resulting in duplicated efforts and missed opportunities for shared progress, such as unified approaches to curing diseases like cancer.

A critical obstacle within this process is the "Valley of Death," the phase between basic research and commercialization. During this period, many promising projects require substantial funding to scale but face a sharp decline in financial support. With 95% of drugs failing in human trials, this funding gap remains a significant barrier, preventing transformative innovations from reaching the market and impacting lives.

6. Lack of Patient-Centric Models and Data Privacy in Biomedical Research

Thousands of individuals donate biosamples annually to advance medical research, yet the current system excludes them from the lifecycle of their contributions. Donors often sign a consent form and lose all visibility into how their samples are used, eroding trust and reducing participation, with consent rates as low as 25% at major institutions. Centralized systems make the problem worse by failing to track how samples are used or manage donor consent properly. They are also at risk of data breaches, putting sensitive information in danger.This absence of transparency and security limits high-quality data availability, slows scientific progress, and hinders the development of life-saving treatments.

Solution

Decentralized Science (DeSci) addresses significant challenges in the traditional scientific research ecosystem by leveraging blockchain technology, decentralized networks, and new incentive structures. These solutions aim to improve accessibility, transparency, funding mechanisms, and collaboration in science. Here’s a general overview of how DeSci provides solutions to the key problems faced by the scientific community:

1. DAOs: Empowering Collaborative Governance in Science

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) provide a decentralized, community-driven framework for funding and decision-making in scientific research. By democratizing the allocation of resources, DAOs enable scientists, investors, and other stakeholders to propose and vote on projects, fostering a collaborative and transparent research environment.

• Real World Examples

The BIO Protocol serves as a decentralized platform that empowers communities to fund and accelerate scientific research. By leveraging blockchain technology, BIO enables the creation and funding of decentralized scientific organizations known as BioDAOs. These DAOs focus on specific medical challenges, pooling resources and expertise to drive innovation.

Notable Success Stories

• HairDAO: Developed Follicool, a consumer product targeting hair loss, supported by DAO-owned patents.
• CerebrumDAO: Raised $1.5 million to advance brain health research, partnering with Fission Pharma to address neurodegenerative diseases.
• ValleyDAO: Focuses on synthetic biology, raising $2 million and collaborating with Imperial College London.
• AthenaDAO: Addressed women's health research, funding $500,000 in projects, with 14 IP deals pending.
• CryoDAO: Secured $3 million to advance cryogenics research, working with Oxford Cryotechnology.
• Quantum Biology DAO: Led by an MIT PhD, this DAO pioneers quantum microscopes, unlocking new research possibilities.
• Long COVID Labs: Accelerates Long COVID research under the leadership of a Stanford neuroscientist, addressing a condition affecting millions globally.

2. Decentralized, Persistent, and Accessible Research Data

DeSci platforms offer researchers a secure and decentralized way to store their data, manuscripts, and research materials. By leveraging blockchain technology, these platforms ensure that research remains accessible over the long term, preventing issues like "link rot," where data links may become inaccessible over time. For instance, platforms like DeSci Nodes provide decentralized storage that guarantees permanent and unalterable access to research outputs.

In addition, DeSci platforms are built around the FAIR data principles—Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. This means that each dataset is enriched with metadata, detailing how the data was generated and allowing other researchers to easily find and reuse it. Integrating FAIR principles not only makes scientific data more accessible but also encourages collaboration and helps avoid redundant research efforts.

3. Incentives for Replication and Peer Review: Fixing the Replication Problem

A big issue in science today is the "replication crisis," where many studies can’t be repeated with the same results. DeSci is solving this by offering rewards to scientists who replicate experiments or review others’ work. Platforms like ResearchHub, backed by Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong, use tokens to reward scientists for validating research, sharing feedback, and contributing to peer reviews.                                                          

This system makes it worthwhile for researchers to double-check findings and ensures published studies are more reliable. By encouraging collaboration and transparency, DeSci is helping to fix this long-standing problem in traditional science.

4. Open Access and Programmatic Publishing

DeSci platforms eliminate the barriers of traditional publishing paywalls by providing open-access options for scientists to share their work freely. For example, DeSci Publish allows researchers to upload and disseminate their work without paying hefty publication fees, ensuring greater reach and impact of scientific discoveries. Additionally, programmatic publishing speeds up the research-to-publication process and reduces the burden of manual submissions by automating tasks like manuscript submission, formatting, peer review coordination, metadata creation, revision tracking, and dissemination, so that researchers can focus on their research rather than administrative tasks.

Real World Example 

Etica Protocol is a decentralized science (DeSci) initiative revolutionizing medical research by eliminating intellectual property (IP) restrictions and promoting open-source collaboration. Launched in April 2022 and built on blockchain technology, Etica enables researchers to share findings freely while being financially rewarded throughout the research process. By bypassing traditional patent systems and restrictive licensing, Etica creates a fair and efficient framework that accelerates innovation, ensures treatments remain affordable, and promotes equitable access to medical advancements.

Key Features

1. Decentralized Proposals: Researchers submit proposals linked to specific diseases, evaluated through community voting on the blockchain.  
2. Staking and Voting: Token holders stake Etica tokens (ETI) to vote. Correct votes earn rewards, while incorrect ones incur penalties, ensuring accountability.  
3. Dynamic Approval Thresholds: Proposal approval thresholds adapt based on voting patterns, balancing fairness and rigor.  
4. Privacy and Transparency: A two-step voting system ensures privacy during voting and transparency after results are revealed.

Examples of Diseases on Etica Protocol

Etica Protocol is actively driving open-source medical research across critical health challenges, with a particular focus on diseases like Cancer, Alzheimer's Disease, and Diabetes, which impact millions globally. Collaborative efforts on the platform are advancing innovative solutions for Parkinson's Disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) while also addressing pressing global issues like Malaria and Silicosis, an occupational lung disease. In addition, Etica supports research into Mucoviscidosis (Cystic Fibrosis) and Addictions, alongside broader initiatives like Longevity research to enhance life expectancy and Fundamental Research to explore foundational scientific questions. These categories highlight Etica’s real-world impact and encourage active participation to drive accessible and equitable healthcare solutions.

5. IP-NFTs: Empowering Researchers and Securing Ownership

Decentralized Science (DeSci) transforms scientific research by introducing a transparent and efficient framework for funding, managing, and owning innovation, much like how blockchain revolutionized financial systems. By leveraging IP-NFTs (Intellectual Property Non-Fungible Tokens) and DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations), DeSci addresses the **"Valley of Death"**—a critical funding gap between basic research and commercialization where many promising projects fail due to lack of financial support. Through DAOs, researchers gain direct access to a global network of funders, bypassing traditional barriers and ensuring early-stage projects receive the resources needed to scale. This decentralized approach not only accelerates innovation but also democratizes access to funding, fostering global collaboration and driving scientific progress.

At the core of this transformation are IP-NFTs, a decentralized framework built on Ethereum. IP-NFTs integrate legal contracts, smart contracts, and encrypted private data stored on decentralized platforms like Arweave and Filecoin. By tokenizing research projects, IP-NFTs enable efficient funding, transparent governance, and collective ownership, empowering researchers while ensuring equitable access to scientific advancements. There are examples below to illustrate how this is the case.

Key Benefits of IP-NFTs:

• Monetization: Researchers can directly sell their IP-NFTs, raising funds to support their research and potentially generating significant financial rewards.
• Open Access and Control: IP-NFTs can be used in conjunction with open access models, ensuring research remains accessible to the public while maintaining ownership rights.

Real-World Examples

Molecule is a leading platform that leverages IP-NFTs to revolutionize scientific research funding. By tokenizing intellectual property, Molecule enables researchers to raise funds directly from a global community of investors, patients, and enthusiasts.

• $30M+ raised within the Molecule ecosystem to support decentralized scientific research.
• 29 Research Projects Funded, spanning rare diseases, quantum biology, and other niche fields.
• 15.7K+ Community Members, including scientists, investors, and advocates.
• $1.95M Total Funded directly into cutting-edge research projects, driving significant progress in underfunded areas.
• Source

VitaDAO exemplifies the transformative potential of IP-NFTs in scientific research, decentralizing funding and governance through blockchain technology. With over $4.2M deployed, 24 research projects funded, and 200+ projects evaluated, VitaDAO has fostered collaboration and transparency while advancing groundbreaking longevity science. Backed by $6M in liquid funds, it demonstrates how decentralized mechanisms can efficiently support innovative research and drive progress in critical scientific fields.

Examples of Projects Funded Through IP-NFTs

1. Discovering Novel Autophagy Activators
   • Lab: Korolchuk Lab, Newcastle University
   • Focus: Identifying compounds to restore autophagy function in aged cells, addressing cellular recycling mechanisms linked to aging and diseases.
   • Funding: $285,000
2. Matrix Bio: Longevity Biotech Inspired by Naked Mole Rats
   • Lab: Gorbunova Lab
   • Focus: Developing therapies based on high molecular weight hyaluronic acid, leveraging its anti-cancer and pro-longevity properties.
   • Funding: $300,000
3. The Longevity Molecule
   • Lab: Scheibye-Knudsen Lab
   • Focus: Using machine learning to analyze 1.04 billion prescriptions and identify drugs that extend human lifespan.
   • Funding: $537,000
4. ApoptoSENS: Senolytic CAR-NK Cells
   • Focus: Developing CAR-NK cells to eliminate senescent cells and combat age-related diseases.
   • Funding: $253,000
5. Novel Mitophagy Activators for Alzheimer’s Disease
   • Lab: Fang Lab
   • Focus: Using AI to identify drug candidates that restore mitophagy, potentially addressing Alzheimer’s and other age-related diseases.
   • Funding: $300,000
6. Reversing Periodontal Disease Using Geroscience
   • Lab: An Lab
   • Focus: Testing compounds targeting inflammation to treat age-related periodontitis and improve human healthspan.
   • Funding: $330,000
7. ARTAN Bio: Mutation-Specific Codon Suppression for Aging and Longevity
   • Company: ARTAN Bio
   • Focus: Developing interventions for nonsense mutations that cause age-related diseases and cancers.
   • Funding: $91,300
   • Source

6. Decentralized Solutions in Biomedical

Decentralized Science (DeSci) offers a transformative solution by putting patients and donors at the center of the process. Using blockchain technology, DeSci ensures that donors retain control over their biosamples, allowing them to see how their contributions are used and even benefit financially when their samples are commercialized. This approach fosters trust and encourages participation. At the same time, decentralized systems provide enhanced security for sensitive data, ensuring it is stored safely and accessed only with proper permissions. By replacing centralized repositories with blockchain’s transparency and immutability, DeSci protects privacy and accelerates progress in biomedical research.

AminoChain: Transforming Biomedical Research with Decentralized Science

AminoChain is transforming biomedical research by creating a decentralized platform that connects medical institutions and empowers patients. With $7 million in funding, including a $5 million seed round led by a16z crypto and Cercano, AminoChain is building a transparent and efficient system for managing biosamples and healthcare data.

At its core, AminoChain uses the Amino Node, a software package that integrates with existing medical systems like EMRs and inventory management tools. This Node standardizes data into a common format while ensuring it remains securely stored on the institution’s servers. By harmonizing data across a network, AminoChain enables developers to build patient-centric applications and facilitates collaboration among medical institutions.

One of its key applications is the Specimen Center, a peer-to-peer marketplace for biosamples. This platform allows researchers to search and request biosamples across biobank inventories while maintaining compliance and tracking provenance. Traditional processes that take weeks are streamlined into efficient workflows, promoting faster research outcomes. Uniquely, donors can track their samples, access insights generated from their contributions, and earn financial rewards when their samples are commercialized, fostering trust and participation.

AminoChain stands out by embedding bioethics into its core, prioritizing transparency and benefit-sharing for patients while streamlining research and collaboration for the biomedical community.

The Bright Future of DeSci: A Revolution in Scientific Funding

The Decentralized Science (DeSci) movement is rapidly transforming how scientific research is funded and conducted, unlocking new possibilities for innovation and collaboration. Since 2023, over seven specialized DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) have emerged, collectively evaluating more than 2,000 projects and channeling over $70 million in funding on-chain. These DAOs are addressing diverse fields such as psychedelic research, hair loss treatments, cryogenics, neuroscience, and cutting-edge quantum biology.

While only 0.5% of the evaluated projects have been funded so far, the impact has been remarkable. Over 3,000 ETH has been deployed, contributing to the development of five to six new medicines. The first real-world product—a high-dose spermidine supplement—was brought to market by VitaDAO and approved by the Thai FDA, showcasing the tangible outcomes of this revolutionary funding model.

Promising Upcoming Projects in DeSci

The potential of DeSci is further demonstrated by exciting upcoming launches:

• Curetopia aims to tackle over 10,000 rare genetic diseases by uniting patient groups and populations. By involving patients directly and making them the center of research, Curetopia is reshaping how rare disease treatment is approached.
• Quantum Biology DAO is accelerating research into quantum biology, fostering community building, open governance, and innovative experimentation. Its mission is to understand and manipulate biology at the quantum level, opening doors to entirely new scientific breakthroughs.

Big Players Backing DeSci

The significance of DeSci has captured the attention of major players in the blockchain space. Binance Labs has made a substantial investment in BIO Protocol, a pioneering platform that enables global communities of scientists, patients, and investors to collaboratively fund and co-own groundbreaking biomedical research. BIO Protocol focuses on critical areas such as rare diseases, longevity, and mental health, while incubating multiple BioDAOs that aim to accelerate patient-driven innovation.

Industry leaders like Vitalik Buterin (Ethereum co-founder) and **Changpeng Zhao (**CZ, Binance CEO) have also shown their support, attending a DeSci event in Bangkok. Their involvement underscores the transformative potential of DeSci to revolutionize scientific funding and research globally.

DeSci is expanding beyond Ethereum, with platforms like PumpDotScience on Solana pushing the boundaries of decentralized science. Backed by the Solana Foundation, PumpDotScience allows users to watch live research experiments and tokenize longevity compounds. This innovative approach has fueled its rapid success, with its tokens seeing explosive growth after DevCon: $RIF reached a $106M market cap, and $URO shot up to $39M.

The decentralized science market is seeing significant growth, with a trading volume exceeding **$**25 million, and a market cap of $1.2 billion. DeSci tokens like $RSC, backed by Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong’s ResearchHub, $VITA, and $HAIR are experiencing impressive growth. These numbers reflect a surge in investor interest and confidence in DeSci’s potential to reshape the scientific landscape.

A New Era for Science: The DeSci Revolution

Decentralized Science (DeSci) is ushering in a groundbreaking transformation in how science is funded, conducted, and shared. With backing from industry giants like Binance and visionaries like Vitalik Buterin, DeSci is more than just a technological innovation—it’s a movement to democratize science and solve humanity’s most critical challenges.

Projects like BIO Protocol, Curetopia, and Quantum Biology DAO demonstrate the potential for real breakthroughs, while cross-chain collaborations are expanding DeSci’s reach beyond Ethereum to platforms like Solana. This isn’t just about blockchain speculation; it’s about curing diseases, accelerating discoveries, and making innovation accessible to everyone.

DeSci is a shift toward a future where science is open, collaborative, and inclusive. It’s not a passing trend but the start of a monumental change in how we approach progress. The movement is gaining momentum, and it feels like we’re on the verge of something truly transformative for humanity.