A decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) is taking a big step in its quest to extend human life. It’s creating a biotech company that will focus on cutting-edge science for treating cancer and diseases associated with aging.
This organization, called VitaDAO, is a community-owned group with the goal of supporting and advancing early-stage research on increasing human lifespan. They just announced the launch of a new company called Matrix Biosciences, and they’ve partnered with a renowned biologist named Vera Gorbunova. Vera Gorbunova is a professor at the University of Rochester, and she’s known for discovering traits that make naked mole-rats resistant to cancer.
One of the core members of VitaDAO, Todd White, explained that their goal with this new company is to take research out of the DAO’s digital realm and apply it in the real world. They want to turn their scientific findings into practical solutions rather than keeping them exclusively within the DAO’s digital ecosystem.
Unlike VitaDAO, which operates in a decentralized way, Matrix Biosciences will work more like a regular company. It won’t be spread out across a network like VitaDAO. In fact, VitaDAO will be the main owner of Matrix Biosciences, and the biotech company will have to provide them with reports every quarter, just like how traditional investments work.
Todd White explained that their goal is to demonstrate that blockchain technology can work effectively alongside the biotech industry. They want to show that these two worlds can cooperate well.
Recognizing that the medical and healthcare fields have strict rules and regulations, Todd White emphasized that both VitaDAO and Matrix Biosciences are actively working with regulators. He mentioned that there’s a lot of concern about the reputation of the cryptocurrency industry, so they are taking steps to prove that they are responsible and not taking reckless risks.
Eleanor Davies, a core member of VitaDAO, explained that Matrix Biosciences has an ambitious mission. They will be conducting research on a unique animal called the naked mole-rat. These rodents have a special substance called high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HMW-HA) in abundance. This compound found in these rats has properties that can fight cancer, alleviate pain, and potentially extend lifespan.
Matrix Biosciences intends to use the unique characteristics of the naked mole-rat to develop treatments for cancer and diseases related to aging in humans. This approach is in line with VitaDAO’s overall goal and mission.
“We have a unique mission to support groundbreaking and unconventional research that typically doesn’t get funding from traditional sources like the National Institutes of Health or venture capital,” she explained. With Matrix Biosciences, our aim is to develop the next big breakthrough in medical treatments.”
Both Todd White and Eleanor Davies spoke highly of Vera Gorbunova, who will lead the scientific efforts at Matrix Biosciences. Gorbunova has an impressive track record in researching topics like longevity mechanisms, genome stability, and long-lived animals. She’s currently co-directing the Aging Research Center at the University of Rochester and has received numerous awards for her research over the years.
Initially, VitaDAO, which includes contributions from Pfizer Ventures, will provide $300,000 in funding for Matrix Biosciences. Later on, additional funding will be secured through their IP-NFT fractionalization model. This unique approach allows them to generate more financial support for their research endeavors.
Today’s launch is a clear message to the biotech community that we’re serious about our mission,” White emphasized.
