Science and research are currently facing serious issues that are affecting their growth. Some of these issues include limited funding and difficulties replicating critical findings. In many cases, particularly in medicine, researchers are often hesitant to share their results openly, leading to lower levels of collaboration and, as a result, slower advancement in the field.

This situation indicates the need for a more decentralized approach to research. Decentralized Science (DeSci) addresses this issue using blockchain technology to enhance scientific collaboration. Several projects have distinguished themselves within this growing sector, and five projects in particular are gaining recognition.

What is DeSci?

Decentralized Science (DeSci) essentially uses blockchain technology and features to decentralize scientific research and collaboration. As such, DeSci aims to create a safer environment for scientists to share their work and contribute to each other’s research.

One of DeSci’s advantages is that it provides more diverse funding sources, like DAOs and crowdfunding, making it easier to fund research projects. It also encourages researchers to share their work in a way that is easier to replicate, thus increasing the validity of the research. Decentralized science addresses real-world issues in scientific research, such as the difficulties of sharing data and discoveries, slow peer review, and the lack of openness in traditional publishing.

Top 5 DeSci Projects

The highest-rated DeSci projects include:

VitaDAO

Source: vitadao

VitaDAO is a community-driven organization focused on funding research that can help people live longer and healthier lives. The organization is committed to making drug development more open and accessible, supporting early-stage research, and turning successful projects into biotech companies.

VITA token holders govern VitaDAO. Users can acquire tokens by purchasing them or contributing their work or ideas. With over 10,000 members, VitaDAO has secured over $11 million across four funding rounds from investors like Pfizer and Shine Capital to support more research.

VitaDAO is particularly interested in innovative projects that involve higher risk but have the potential to significantly impact science. They focus on therapies that could extend the lifespan of various species and help treat or prevent age-related diseases.

VitaDAO welcomes researchers at all levels, including professors, research scientists, post-doctoral fellows, students, and biotech startups. The funding process is fast and efficient, with an average duration of 103 days. The project also works alongside the Dealflow Working Group to identify and develop longevity-related projects into companies. The Dealflow team assists researchers with navigating the funding process, providing researchers with a contact person to guide them. The grants usually cover 1-2 years of research and development, focusing more on projects that are commercially viable, such as new therapies or diagnostic tools..

VitaDAO addresses the lack of early-stage funding in the biopharma industry by providing a decentralized way to support longevity research. They are particularly interested in areas like regenerative medicine, cellular therapies, and drug discovery. VitaDAO’s funding depends on milestones, meaning that there is allocated funding for killer experiments, with more funds available if those experiments succeed.

Molecule

Source: molecule

Molecule is a decentralized biotech protocol that is gaining popularity for creating a Web3 marketplace for research-related intellectual property (IP). This marketplace offers easier access to funding for academics and biotech companies, while also allowing stakeholders to collectively own and share opinions on the research IP. As such, patient communities and other researchers can engage directly with the research process.

Molecule’s architecture revolves around the use of a hybrid legal-smart contract primitive known as an IP-NFT. This technology takes the legal rights, data access, and economics around research projects and combines them into cryptographic tokens on Ethereum.

Molecule also offers a marketplace where researchers can connect with funders to collaborate on translational research projects. The marketplace also allows researchers to share their ideas, evaluate proposals, negotiate, and finalize agreements while leveraging blockchain technology to keep their transactions safe and secure.

Using IP-NFTs is particularly beneficial for biotech companies and researchers. It enables them to raise funds without the usual need for patents or early-stage startups while also creating a collaborative environment where they can interact with patients and other researchers. IP-NFTs also open up new funding opportunities and ways to monetize their research, thus giving users more control over their data.

Molecule also introduced an incubator program called bio. XYZ. This program will help create bioDAOs, decentralized communities that focus on funding biotech research and development. These communities are made up of patients, researchers, and enthusiasts who come together to fund research in specific medical areas.

Dynex

Source: dynexcoin

Dynex is an innovative platform designed for neuromorphic computing and delivering more scalable and energy-efficient solutions. Neuromorphic computing is a special type that copies how neurons and synapses in the brain function, thus creating more efficient and powerful computing solutions.

Dynex’s large ecosystem includes customers, integration partners, universities, strategic visionaries, decentralized miners, and media partners. It also leverages a proof-of-useful-work (PoUW) mechanism to improve the security and efficiency of computational tasks.

Dynex’s innovation is powered by the DNX coin, a native utility token that powers its quantum computing functions. Users can buy DNX through DynexSolve, or on cryptocurrency exchanges like Gate.io. The platform also offers a range of wallet options for managing DNX, including graphical user interface (GUI), command line interface (CLI), and web-based wallets.

Dynex’s use of ASIC-resistant algorithms ensures equal and transparent mining, while its neuromorphic approach enables regular devices to work like advanced computers. This unique combination pushes the boundaries of quantum computing, providing a more decentralized, scalable, and highly efficient environment for everyone.

Cerebrum DAO

Source: cerebrumdao

Cerebrum DAO is a new project dedicated to promoting neuroscience research. It addresses popular issues facing neuroscience research, such as limited funding and scattered data access. The project allows researchers to easily share data and resources, thus facilitating a more collaborative space for scientific advancement.

To encourage participation, users can earn token rewards for their contributions. The project also has a governance model that lets stakeholders voice their opinions on future initiatives. This approach ensures that the research aligns with the community’s interests, promoting transparency and inclusivity in the science process.

HairDAO

Source: hairdao

HairDAO is a new project dedicated to researching hair loss. The platform offers an open environment for managing studies on hair loss, hair regeneration, and scalp health.

The project is powered by the HAIR token, which is essential to decision-making, funding, and proposing new research projects. It also encourages participation from the wider community, encouraging group collaboration to develop new treatments and therapies.

HAIR token holders can propose, discuss and vote on research projects that the project can fund. This approach will ensure that the interests of researchers, investors and the larger community are all aligned. Researchers can submit their project ideas for funding, while investors can purchase HAIR tokens to vote on the most promising mini-projects.

ResearchHub (RSC)

Source: researchhub

ResearchHub is an online platform that connects scientists and enthusiasts by providing a safe space to share, review, and fund scientific projects. The platform’s native token, ResearchCoin (RSC), serves as access to scientific knowledge and rewards active contributors. This approach allows users to support different scientific projects and receive RSC tokens in return.

RSC is an ERC-20 token with a total supply of 1 billion tokens. Of this, 480 million RSC tokens are set aside for community engagement and will be distributed over the next 12 years. Additionally, 20 million tokens are specially allocated annually to reward positive feedback (upvotes) on the platform. Users can also stake their RSC tokens and participate in decision-making to help fund new projects.

Like the other DeSci projects, researchers submit their funding proposals, which the RSC community then discusses and votes on. If a project gets approved, it receives funding in RSC tokens, enabling researchers to advance their work with the support of the ResearchHub community.

Conclusion

Looking ahead, DeSci projects are set to shape the way we conduct scientific research. Leveraging the decentralized nature of blockchain technology to create more collaborative research environments will help scale the advancement of science and blockchain technology as a whole. As such, DeSci breaks down the traditional barriers in research and innovation, creating a more sustainable way for researchers to collaborate.