What is DeSci?

Decentralized Science (DeSci) is an emerging movement that aims to accelerate scientific progress by democratizing the research process. Unlike the traditional approach where research agendas and funding are controlled by centralized institutions, DeSci enables direct coordination among professional and amateur researchers without intermediaries.

Blockchain technology provides the ideal foundation for DeSci, enabling features like time-stamping of research data, provision of access to data via decentralized storage networks, incentive and funding mechanisms through tokens, digital affiliations via Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), and much more. However, blockchains and smart contracts alone are insufficient for managing the social complexities of scientific endeavors, which by their very nature require human judgment and discretion. This is where the Q protocol can fill a gap in the existing decentralized infrastructure and support projects in the DeSci space. 

But before diving into Q’s solutions, let’s review the current state of DeSci: 

DeSci Landscape 2024

DeSci projects are leading the way in transforming the traditional scientific research landscape. Today, there is a lively ecosystem of communities, companies and DAOs that are addressing different facets within the ecosystem. Numerous lists and maps detailing the DeSci space are available online, typically encompassing the following categories:

  • DAOs and communities
  • Scientific publishing
  • Funding and philanthropy
  • Research in specific focus areas (e.g. Biotech, longevity)
  • Infrastructure & data

In a 2023 paper, Lukas Weidener identifies a number of DeSci DAOs with sizable and active communities: 

DeSci projects and DAOs (2023). Decentralized Science (DeSci): Definition, Shared Values, and Guiding Principles by Lukas Weidener

The DeSci movement is still young, so communities are growing fast and new projects emerge frequently.

The Need for Decentralized Governance in DeSci

As stated above, the scientific process relies on human input, judgment and discretion: research results require interpretation; funding decisions should reflect human values; ethical choices cannot be fully automated. All of these factors require governance – i.e. a framework on how decisions are made and rules are enforced. 

Effective governance mechanisms are therefore crucial for DeSci projects and communities to function in a truly decentralized manner. These mechanisms must go beyond the deterministic “code-is-law” paradigm which is typically associated with blockchains, and provide nuance.

This is where the Q Protocol comes into play. Q has built a comprehensive governance infrastructure on top of its blockchain, enabling decentralized decision-making “beyond code-is-law.” Q’s infrastructure allows for the enforcement of subjective rules that may require interpretation, functioning as a credibly fair and neutral external anchor for governance security. 

DeSci Use Cases Enabled by Q’s Governance Infrastructure

DeSci projects and communities can leverage Q’s governance architecture in a modular fashion, empowering them to structure their activities holistically and in a truly decentralized way. Here are some examples of current and potential DeSci use cases facilitated by Q:

  • DAO Infrastructure: DAOs can be set up and managed on Q using the Q DAO Factory. The setup can include a DAO constitution that provides a sound legal basis for communities.
  • Membership Rules: Through the DAO constitution and the on-chain infrastructure, DAO rules can be enforced. Rules can range from membership definition, qualification criteria and specific permissions.
  • Ethics:Through veto rights that are granted to Q’s credibly fair and neutral governance stakeholders, the Root Nodes, or by slashing of stake in case of violations, DAO standards can be upheld and enforced.
  • Grants & Treasuries: One governance service on Q includes spending oversight to ensure funds are used in compliance with community-defined rules.
  • Quality Assurance: Projects can implement subjective rules regarding the review and quality assessment of proposals using Q’s governance framework.
  • Dispute Resolution: Communities can leverage frameworks for dispute resolution available on Q, including the possibility of using Kleros’s decentralized justice framework or settling conflicts via the ICC’s Court of Arbitration.

Moreover, by tapping into Q’s governance infrastructure, DeSci projects can effectively guide and manage the process of progressive decentralization natively from within their organizations – an aspect that has been identified as a pain point by Weidener in his paper: “While the concept of progressive decentralization holds promise for the evolution of DeSci-DAOs, the transformation from centralized to fully decentralized entities is an ongoing process. How these organizations navigate this path remains to be seen […]”. The key is to identify which aspects of the operations need to be decentralized. For those, Q can do the following:

  • Q’s infrastructure allows for a fully decentralized setup.
  • Strong leadership and delegated authorities can be accounted for within the DAO’s structure, while being limited to the actual aspect where it’s needed. It’s not “all or nothing”.
  • Furthermore, the power can be kept in check by using Q as an external governance anchor. Effectively enabled by an enforceable DAO Constitution, the Q Root Nodes and related mechanisms, including a process for dispute resolution, ensure that rules can be upheld without resorting to centralized or decision making.

Case Studies: DeSci Projects Building on Q

Several DeSci projects are already leveraging Q’s governance infrastructure:

By integrating with Q’s decentralized governance infrastructure, these DeSci projects can navigate the social complexities of scientific collaboration while maintaining the core principles of decentralization, transparency, and community-driven decision-making.

Interested? Get in touch!

Members of the Q community are active participants in the DeSci ecosystem. Q Development AG, a company engaged in the Q ecosystem, has been supporting events like the 2023 DeSci Community Conference and the 2024 DeSci Hacker House at EthDenver.

If you are contributing to a DeSci project and want to explore how Q’s governance solutions can benefit you, get in touch with our author Gerrit. To learn more about Q, engage in Q’s social channels or visit https://q.org/.