Michael Baran on Decentralized Science and Investing in Blockchain Technology

Nov 14, 2023

Michael Baran, Executive Director at WRDM and partner at Pfizer Ventures, delves into the revolutionary potential of decentralized science (DeSci). He explores how DeSci is redefining traditional biotech paradigms and enhancing investment models through decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Michael discusses the risks in early-stage science investments, challenges in biopharma, and common misconceptions about the sector. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining scientific quality while navigating the complexities of innovation and funding in the evolving landscape.

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

Decentralized Science: Transforming Investment Models

02:57 • 11min

Navigating Biopharma Challenges

13:28 • 13min

Balancing Decentralization and Accountability in Science

26:44 • 5min

Navigating the Biopharma Transition

31:15 • 6min

Navigating the Challenges of DAOs and Life Sciences Investment

37:17 • 2min

Welcome to another episode of the DeSci Podcast. Today, we had the privilege of having Michael Baran as our guest. Michael Baran, MBA, Ph.D. is Executive Director, WRDM, and partner at Pfizer Ventures. In this episode, Michael discusses the unique features of DeSci, highlighting how it is reshaping the scientific landscape and redefining traditional paradigms. We also explored the significant risks in early-stage science investment and discussed key factors deterring investors from entering the cryptocurrency and blockchain sectors. Michael draws insightful comparisons between DeSci and the Traditional model, exploring both their similarities and differences. Other topics we discussed are the underappreciated values of traditional biotech, common misconceptions about Biopharma, the need for maintaining scientific quality, and many more. Feel free to navigate any topics discussed in the Podcast using the timestamps below. ___ ⭐ Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:07 What is the strong case for DeSci? 2:57 Advantages of DeSci Over Traditional Biotech 3:00 Risks associated with investing in early-stage science 4:35 DeSci vs. Traditional Model: Similarities and differences 7:38 Strongest critique of Desci 11:09 Measuring success 13:26 Underexplored areas in Biopharma 15:32 Common misconceptions about Biopharma 16:51 Pfizer partnership models 23:40 Underappreciated values of traditional Biotech 26:43 Maintaining scientific quality 28:40 Contentious topics within your field 31:14 Implicit knowledge in Biopharma 34:26 Recurring challenges in Michael's career 35:42 Selecting the best ideas 39:18 Outro ____ If you prefer listening to podcasts on audio apps, feel free to search for "The DeSci Podcast" on Spotify, Google Podcasts & Apple Podcasts. You'll also find all links to the podcast apps below. If you want to join us on the show as a speaker or have guest ideas, please shoot us an mail at podcast@molecule.to Special thanks to Lea Degen: https://twitter.com/lealeata Michael Baran: https://twitter.com/scienceman2023 ____ Let's connect: Website: https://bit.ly/3d6nh2C X: https://twitter.com/Molecule_dao Discord: https://discord.com/invite/moleculedao