Season 7. Ep. - 10 - From Cells to DAOs: Boris Dyakov’s Journey in Science and Blockchain W/ Boris
Jan 15, 2025
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Join Boris Dyakov, a PhD candidate blending biology with blockchain, as he unravels the fascinating intersections of decentralized science and DAOs. He shares insights on mapping proteins in human cells and emphasizes incentivizing scientific collaboration through blockchain frameworks. Learn about his journey into crypto, community engagement, and challenges faced in fundraising. Boris also explores the potential of decentralized tools in enhancing the future of scientific inquiry, all while building meaningful connections in the crypto space.
The integration of blockchain with scientific research can enhance collaboration and incentivize researchers, addressing traditional funding issues.
Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) empower scientific communities to collectively govern projects, fostering a sense of ownership and participation.
Advancements in zero-knowledge cryptography play a crucial role in scaling blockchain infrastructure, promoting broader applications and improving transaction efficiency.
Deep dives
Blockchain and Science Integration
The discussion emphasizes the potential of integrating blockchain technologies with scientific research to enhance collaboration and incentives in the scientific community. It highlights examples of how decentralized models can address traditional issues like funding and ownership, aiding in scientific discovery. The conversation points out that while science typically demands considerable dedication driven by passion rather than monetary gain, blockchain can incentivize researchers, allowing them to capture more value from their work. This intersection of blockchain and science aims to create a better-supported environment for innovators in the field.
Decentralized Science (DSci) and DAOs
The speaker expresses enthusiasm for decentralized science (DSci), particularly the role of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) in facilitating scientific advancement. DAOs can empower groups to collaboratively make decisions and govern scientific projects, thus fostering a sense of community ownership. The discussion underlines that the current models in DSci still face challenges, as there remains a need for effective governance structures that can ensure sustainability and collaboration. The potential for DAOs to reshape how science is conducted and funded exemplifies the innovative spirit of the blockchain community.
Impact of Gitcoin on the Ecosystem
Gitcoin is lauded for its significant contributions to open-source projects and public goods funding, facilitating over $70 million in funding to various initiatives. While Gitcoin has gone through transformations and restructuring, its impact on the ecosystem remains profound, particularly in building a connected community of contributors and developers. The conversation stresses that even if Gitcoin were to reduce or close its operations, the relationships and networks fostered through its ecosystem would endure, promoting continuous innovation and collaboration in the space. Gitcoin's legacy reflects broader implications for how communities can engage around shared missions.
The Evolution of DAOs
The nature of DAOs is discussed as continuously evolving, with emerging practices and structures inherent to their design. There is recognition that while certain traditional organizations can operate more efficiently under centralized decision-making, DAOs offer unparalleled potential for decentralized governance in long-term projects. Challenges exist, but innovation within the DAO space is ongoing, and successful examples illustrate resilience and adaptability. The future of DAOs is characterized as a fundamental aspect of decentralized systems, emphasizing their value in fostering collaboration and trust.
Advancements in ZK Technology
The conversation explores advancements in zero-knowledge (ZK) cryptography, particularly its application in scaling Ethereum infrastructure effectively and affordably. Current solutions aim to improve ZK verification methods, enabling cheaper transaction costs and broader applications, enhancing the use of blockchain technology. The speaker's involvement in the verification layer at Aligned reflects a commitment to accelerating Ethereum's growth through innovative decentralized models. This shift towards improvements in ZK technology underlines the importance of collaboration between projects and communities to enable further advancements in the ecosystem.
00:00:00 Cold start 00:01:26 Introduction to the Green Pill Network 00:02:36 Overview of the Podcast Episode 00:03:16 Boris's Research Explanation 00:04:46 Understanding Protein Functions 00:05:14 Reverse Engineering Biology 00:06:17 Mapping Proteins in Human Cells 00:07:20 Parallels Between Biology and Blockchain 00:08:08 Boris's Journey into Crypto 00:10:52 Incentive Problems in Science 00:12:37 Introduction to Lab DAO 00:13:40 Community Building in DAOs 00:15:15 Engagement with Bankers Consulting 00:17:01 Networking and Community in DAOs 00:19:09 Bitcoin Involvement 00:20:43 Decentralized Community Funding Experiment 00:21:37 Election of Community Stewards 00:22:32 Sustainability in Grant Rounds 00:23:30 Continuation of DC Rounds 00:24:07 Funding Impact of Bitcoin Grantees 00:25:36 Vitalik's Influence on Community Building 00:26:38 Experience at Zulu Montenegro 00:27:19 Rolling Conference Concept 00:31:59 Lessons from Informal Communities 00:33:14 Networking at Conferences vs. Co-living 00:34:19 Personal Connections in Crypto 00:36:07 Learning from Experts 00:38:41 Transition to Focus on Infrastructure 00:39:58 Public Goods Network Experiment 00:40:57 Exploring Modular Blockchains 00:42:32 Crypto as a Casino 00:44:08 Joining the Aligned Team 00:45:18 Evolution of Zero-Knowledge Rollups 00:46:42 Devcon Experiences 00:48:13 Building Relationships in Crypto 00:49:20 First Experiences in Crypto 00:50:03 Future Event Plans 00:50:25 The Shift to Zero-Knowledge Technologies 00:51:00 Understanding Zero-Knowledge Proofs 00:52:49 The zk Rollup Cost Discussion 00:53:57 Launch of Mainnet Beta 00:54:56 Clarifying Competition 00:55:19 Affordable zk Applications 00:56:21 Accelerating Ethereum's Roadmap 00:58:11 DAO Sentiments 01:00:31 Experimentation with DAOs 01:01:35 Governance in Bitcoin 01:02:50 Closing paths on DeSci 01:04:21 journey of the book 01:04:56 Thank you note 01:05:01 Outro
Disclosure: From time-to-time I may add links in this newsletter to products I use. I may receive commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Additionally, the Greenpill team writers hold crypto assets.
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