Traditional scientific organizations are losing control. The world is accelerating, knowledge no longer belongs to a select few, and blockchain is already being used in science at full speed. DeSci companies like Lado Okhotnikov’s Holiverse offer a new approach: decentralized research, open access to data, and freedom to choose sources for publishing scientific research. What does this mean for the scientific community and for all of us? And which companies are already creating the future? Let’s find out. All the most important things are right here. Read on!

What is DeSci

DeSci (Decentralized Science) is a concept for the scientific community aimed at creating an ecosystem based on the principles of decentralization. The main goal of DeSci is the free exchange of knowledge and cooperation between researchers around the world. This model proposes to replace traditional centralized structures of science management with new, more flexible and democratic mechanisms — smart contracts and blockchain.

That is, if earlier scientific research was controlled by large institutions or governments, now it is becoming available to everyone. DeSci uses blockchain technologies to make science more open, transparent and accessible to more people.

Principles of DeSci

DeSci is science without bureaucracy. Everything is based on five main principles that make it truly decentralized:

1. Any scientific data is available to all researchers without restrictions. This includes publications, source codes, experimental results, and other materials needed to reproduce them.
2. Instead of traditional grants and funds, DeSci proposes using crowdfunding platforms and tokenization of scientific projects.
3. DeSci encourages collaboration between scientists from different countries and fields of knowledge. Platforms for collaboration and discussion of scientific problems help to combine the efforts of specialists in achieving the set goals.
4. Blockchain ensures data immutability, which is especially important for copyright protection and preventing falsification of results.
5. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) perform routine processes, providing scientists an opportunity for creativity.

Imagine a scientist who is researching new drugs. Previously, he spent a lot of time manually analyzing data, compiling reports, or finding the right articles. With the advent of artificial intelligence and machine learning, all this is becoming easier.

How DeSci works

Look, a researcher conducts an experiment and gets important results that he wants to publish. However, in the traditional scientific system, publication takes months or even years to undergo peer review, approval from scientific councils, and so on. While there is bureaucratic red tape, there is a risk that someone else will publish similar results earlier, and then the priority of the discovery will be lost.
Blockchain solves all these problems. For a scientist, the roadmap for working with a decentralized system looks something like this:

• A scientist uploads his results to a platform using blockchain. This data is automatically recorded in the chain of blocks, and no one can change or delete it. Thus, a scientist can prove that he was the first to obtain these results;
• Thanks to blockchain, there is no need to wait for long peer review procedures. The results can be published instantly, and anyone can check their authenticity and reliability;
• Since the data is stored in the blockchain, it is protected from counterfeiting. No one can appropriate someone else’s results or present them as their own;
• Researchers can raise funds for their projects through crowdfunding platforms based on blockchain. This allows them to avoid dependence on government grants and large corporations;
• Using blockchain technology, it is possible to create a global network of scientists working on common projects. All participants can see who is doing what and easily coordinate their actions.

With decentralized science, everything is clear: the idea is cool, the prospects are huge. But will DeSci take off in 2025? Forbes addressed the question, publishing an article: Will DeSci Takeoff In 2025?

Тop 4 DeSci projects in 2025

We have collected four of the most interesting projects that use blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning.ResearchHub by Brian Аrmstrong

Platform interface. Source: ResearchHub

ResearchHub was founded in the USA by a team of enthusiasts who wanted to create a convenient platform for exchanging scientific knowledge and improving interaction within the scientific community. It is practically a social network aimed at scientists, researchers and students.
The platform provides them with the opportunity to share their work, discuss scientific issues, collaborate, and receive funding for their research and development.

In addition, authors and reviewers can receive rewards in ResearchCoin tokens for publishing their work, participating in reviewing and other activities.

The main functions of the platform:

• Researchers can upload their articles, preprints and other materials directly to the platform;
• Users can leave comments on articles and participate in discussions;
• The platform has repositories where users can share data sets used in their research;
• The platform provides the opportunity to find and receive a suitable targeted grant in areas such as cryopreservation, longevity, synthetic biology, prevention of neurodegeneration and many other relevant topics.

Lado Okhotnikov’s Holiverse metaverse

Holiverse was founded by Lado Okhotnikov as a DeFi project. The company is working on the integration of the capabilities of the virtual world and fundamental science, and also supports research in the field of personalized medicine.

The product of this collaboration was the laboratory led by Dmitry Chebanov. The company found a way to create digital copies of a person — avatars — based on human DNA. This was a real breakthrough in medical forecasting: with the help of a digital twin created on the basis of a deciphered genome, it is possible to determine how a particular person will react to various environmental influences, physical activity, medications, and even find out what he or she will look like in decades.

The created technology based on human avatars will be used in various areas of personalized medicine:

• creation of special training and nutrition systems for athletes;
• study of how extreme conditions such as radiation, temperature, UV will affect the body, as well as the possibility of eliminating their consequences;
• selection of personalized systems for the treatment and prevention of diseases, including personalized selection of medications, nutrition, and lifestyle, which will minimize the harmful effects of drugs.

VitaDAO by Tyler Golato

The company was created in 2021 to finance research into longevity and biogerontology through collective community support. The main goal is to accelerate the development of life extension technologies and improve human health by pooling resources and knowledge.

The ecosystem uses a token called $VITA, which is the primary means of governance for the organization. $VITA holders can vote for projects, participate in DAO governance, and receive a share of the profits of projects supported by VitaDAO. Tokens are also used to reward contributors and developers working on projects funded through the platform.

Hippocrat

The platform is designed to manage and protect patients’ medical data using blockchain, and to promote collaboration between different players in the healthcare industry.

Hippocrat gives patients control over their medical data. Patients will be able to securely share this data and even earn income from its use, such as when testing new drugs.

Pharmaceutical companies and healthcare institutions will be able to access the data with the consent of patients to develop new drugs and improve diagnostics. Hospitals and other healthcare organizations will receive a reward for providing data while maintaining high standards of data protection.

Conclusion

Nowadays blockchain technologies are being implemented everywhere, and science cannot remain on the sidelines of this process. Therefore, the implementation of DeSci is only a matter of time. Companies clearly demonstrate how blockchain technology and tokenization can provide broad access to resources, stimulate the participation of a wide audience in supporting important scientific research, and create a fair and effective scientific community where every contribution is appreciated.