The DeSci Podcast

What if science wasn’t locked in labs or universities?In episode 47 of the Molecule Podcast, we meet Juan Keymer, Assistant Professor, Shenzhen X-Institute who enlightens us on the existing academic pipeline and how it can be made more flexible with the advancement in AI, DeSci (Decentralized Science), Blockchain Innovation, Open Credentials and more.• Reimagining the future of Science with DeSci.• This is a deep, thoughtful, and radically hopeful conversation about the future of learning, research, and planetary collaboration.• Indulge in a world of Science with Juan Keymer and Ella McCarthy-Page (SciComms Lead at Molecule) away from textbooks and traditional academic systems.In this fascinating episode, we dive deep into reimagining the infrastructure of science away from elite institutions and toward decentralized, gamified systems that anyone can engage in.Timestamps00:00:00 – Introduction: A New Vision for Science00:03:15 – The Problem with Academia & Closed Scientific Systems00:10:47 – Open Degrees & Scope for Open Credentials 00:15:20 – The New Scientific Interface00:20:34 – Biotic Games: How Living Systems Become Game Mechanics00:28:45 – Open Hardware and Decentralized Labs00:35:06 – Rewiring Academia: Parallel Programming & Self-Credentialing00:37:00 – Metaverse & Blockchain-Powered Ecosystems00:41:00 – Fun First, Research Second00:43:00 – Final Reflections: The Power of Play in Scientific Discovery🔔 Subscribe to stay updated: https://www.youtube.com/@Molecule_dao/?sub_confirmation=1______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______Let's connect: Website: https://bit.ly/3d6nh2CTwitter: https://twitter.com/Molecule_daoDiscord: https://discord.gg/ZHGpJQzeTqMolecule - The future of medicine belongs to everyone

Over $2.2 billion in NIH research grants are frozen. Labs are going dark. What happens now?In Episode 46 of the Molecule Podcast, we speak with Aaron Weaver, Chief Commercial Officer at Molecule, about the ongoing NIH funding crisis, its global impact, and how decentralized science (DeSci) is becoming a critical alternative.Aaron brings a unique vantage point from the intersection of venture capital, biotech, and public science funding. This episode unpacks:• The real story behind the NIH funding freeze• Why the budget cuts on indirect costs are threatening university research• What happens when academia loses funding momentum• How DeSci offers new models for sustainability and collaboration• How to get involved — even if you’re not a researcherIf you care about the future of scientific discovery, this episode is essential.Timestamps- 0:00 – Intro: The NIH funding crisis1:30 – What’s actually frozen? Why $2.2B is stalled2:50 – Meet Aaron Weaver: CCO of Molecule & DeSci advocate5:00 – Why indirect costs are at the center of the issue9:00 – How operational freezes threaten lab survival11:30 – The fragility of foundational science13:45 – NIH’s critical role in FDA-approved drugs17:00 – Academic research vs. commercialization pipelines20:15 – Who’s affected most? Young researchers & labs23:00 – Global ripple effects & talent displacement27:00 – Why traditional VC can’t fill the gap30:10 – DeSci as a market structure for resilient funding32:45 – Are universities ready for DeSci?35:20 – Connecting scientists with global communities37:10 – Science as public purpose and personal mission40:00 – How you can get involved in the DeSci movement🔔 Subscribe to stay updated: https://www.youtube.com/@Molecule_dao/?sub_confirmation=1______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.toSpecial thanks to: Aaron Weaver : https://x.com/RealAaronWeaverJillian Casalini : https://x.com/JillianCasalini______Let's connect: Website: https://bit.ly/3d6nh2CTwitter: https://twitter.com/Molecule_daoDiscord: https://discord.gg/ZHGpJQzeTqMolecule - The future of medicine belongs to everyone

Vincent Challier, a pioneering spine surgeon and co-founder of SpineDAO, joins Virginie Lafage, a medical strategist, to explore innovative solutions for spinal health. They discuss how decentralized science can revolutionize spine care by fostering collaboration and addressing patient needs. Challenges in onboarding medical professionals into this new realm are highlighted, alongside the potential of blockchain technology. The guests also delve into the strategic choice of Solana and share their vision for building a community-centric approach in spine research.

Kevin Noessler, Product Head at Molecule, leads the charge in reinventing intellectual property for science through decentralized infrastructure. He discusses 'Proof of Invention,' a blockchain solution for timestamping ideas that sidesteps traditional patent limitations. The conversation also dives into the UX challenges of making blockchain accessible for scientists and the shift from customers to contributors in stakeholder models. Noessler emphasizes the potential for community-driven development, aiming to empower researchers while revolutionizing scientific collaboration.

Jesse Hudson, a prominent lawyer and Chief Legal Architect at Molecule, teams up with intellectual property lawyer Chris Burns to discuss the future of decentralized science. They explore the flaws in the current IP system and the power of tokenization in empowering communities. Jesse shares insights on reclaiming Indigenous cultural IP through blockchain, while Chris tackles the challenges posed by patent trolls. The duo highlights new governance models that promote collective ownership and ethical considerations in the evolving landscape of intellectual property.

The psychedelic industry is booming, but a major battle is unfolding: Who will control the future of these powerful medicines? Will open science prevail, or will corporations dominate through patents? In this episode, we sit down with Graham Pechenik, a leading expert in psychedelic patent law, to unravel the complexities of intellectual property in the space.Graham Pechenik is the founder of Calyx Law, a law firm specializing in psychedelic and cannabis patents. With a background in neuroscience and law, he provides deep insights into the legal landscape shaping the future of psychedelic medicine.Topics Discussed:• The role of patents in psychedelic research• Controversies around corporate control and monopolization• How open-source models could challenge big pharma• What legal battles mean for researchers, startups, and patients• The future of psychedelic accessibilityTune in to get expert insights from one of the leading voices in psychedelic IP law.______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.toSpecial thanks to: Ella McCarthy-Page - https://x.com/EMcCarthyPageGraham Pechenik - https://x.com/calyxlaw______Let's connect: Website: https://bit.ly/3d6nh2CTwitter: https://twitter.com/Molecule_daoDiscord: https://discord.gg/ZHGpJQzeTqMolecule - The future of medicine belongs to everyone

Biotech is at a crossroads—AI, intellectual property, and startups are reshaping the future. But who really controls the breakthroughs? In this episode, Sara Holland, an IP advisor, explores how patents impact biotech, the challenges startups face against big pharma, and whether AI will change everything.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:- The hidden barriers to biotech innovation- How AI is transforming drug discovery and synthetic biology- The role of patents in protecting—or stifling—progress- Why decentralized science (DeSci) could be the key to the future______Special Thanks To:Ella McCarthy-Page : https://x.com/EMcCarthyPageSara HollandChris BrynesMark Nichols______Let's connect: Website: https://bit.ly/3d6nh2CTwitter: https://twitter.com/Molecule_daoDiscord: https://discord.com/invite/moleculedao______Molecule - The future of medicine belongs to everyone

Ethan Perlstein, founder of CureTopia, discusses revolutionary approaches to addressing rare diseases that affect over 30 million people in the U.S. He highlights the misleading notion of rarity and the neglect from Big Pharma. Perlstein advocates for decentralized science and blockchain as transformative tools to empower patient communities and streamline drug development. The conversation also explores drug repurposing, community engagement, and the emotional journeys of affected families, all while pushing for innovative funding models and greater awareness.

Welcome to another episode of the DeSci Podcast! Today, we’re excited to host Joshua Bate, Founder of DeSciWorld. DeSciWorld is a community-driven initiative dedicated to facilitating the onboarding of individuals into the Decentralized Science (DeSci) space. It provides users with the tools to view, engage with, and understand everything happening in the world of decentralized science. In this episode, Joshua shares the vision behind DeSciWorld and its role as a global hub for the decentralized science community. We touch on Joshua's frank thoughts on the DeSci movement and how open discussion and unadultered knowledge transfer, alongside powerful incentives, are necessary to grow the space. We also discuss the “Proof of Knowledge protocol”, DeSciWorld's upcoming technical product where users can upload data and receive incentives whenever their contributions are utilized. Joshua addresses concerns about spam and low-quality dataset submissions, as well as potential technical approaches to ensure that the data used to train AI remains high-quality and reliable. DeSci World: https://desci.world/ SynapseDAO: https://synapse-dao.webflow.io/ Feel free to navigate through any of the topics discussed in the podcast using the timestamps below. ___ ⭐ Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:28 Overview of DeSci World 04:24 About “Proof of Knowledge” protocol 7:07 Ensuring high-quality datasets 14:04 Common misconceptions about DeSci 16:28 How incentives can drive DeSci adoption in Academia 20:10 Underappreciated aspects of Decentralized Science 22:10 Recommendations for getting started in DeSci 24:23 Competition vs. collaboration in the Web3 space 25:48 Scope of biotech 30:59 The future of of Decentralized Science 33:55 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: https://twitter.com/lealeata Joshua: https://twitter.com/jb87ua ____ Let's connect: Website: https://bit.ly/3d6nh2C X: https://twitter.com/Molecule_dao Discord: https://discord.com/invite/moleculedao

Benji Leibowitz, a biotech expert with a focus on computational biology, and Kevin Noessler, a tech-savvy product innovator, dive into the groundbreaking Catalyst platform. They tackle the limitations of traditional research funding and the notorious 'Valley of Death' that stifles innovation. With talk of decentralized funding through NFTs and the importance of equitable intellectual property access, they explore how Catalyst is reshaping the future of scientific research. The conversation highlights dynamic pricing strategies and the potential for blockchain to foster collaboration in biotech.