Can a Meme Coin Fund the Future of Scientific Research?

What if meme coins could be leveraged for something more meaningful beyond speculation, hype, and the occasional rug pull?

How about scientific research and extending human life?

That’s the vision behind Pump.Science, a decentralized science protocol inspired by the popular Solana-based meme coin launchpad, Pump.Fun.

On Thursday, Pump.Science opened the doors to its online storefront, where the public can purchase supplements created by researchers utilizing the platform.

The first product, Urolithin A, claims to support cellular health by restoring mitophagy, which recycles damaged mitochondria to boost energy and counter age-related decline.

As Pump.Science co-founder Benjamin Leibowitz explained that the FDA's oversight of supplements varies based on several factors, including their ingredients and whether they have a history of safe consumption in common foods.

"Only supplements that meet specific criteria must go through the FDA,” Leibowitz told Decrypt. “Things that are naturally occurring, that have been in the foods that we eat—there are specific criteria for supplements that do not need to go through the FDA. It's called 'generally regarded as safe.'

That regulatory distinction allows Pump.Science to introduce longevity-related supplements to the market more quickly than traditional pharmaceutical products, aligning with its approach to decentralized scientific funding.

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Launched in September 2024 at Solana Breakpoint by Benjamin Leibowitz, Paul Kohlhaas, and Jillian Casalini, Pump.Science is a platform on the Solana blockchain that enables researchers to tokenize experiments, creating a marketplace for early-stage longevity compounds and supplements.

“Pump.Science draws inspiration from Pump.Fun, and we wanted to meet users where they are,” Leibowitz said. “What made Pump.Fun successful is how easy it is to launch a meme coin. We want to make launching a science experiment just as easy.”

Pump that scientific research

Pump.Science is part of a growing sector of Web3 known as Decentralized Science or DeSci for short. Decentralized Science uses blockchain and decentralized finance to make research more transparent, collaborative, and less reliant on traditional financial institutions.

Public and private sector investment in longevity research surpassed $5 billion in the first half of 2024, down from $9 billion in 2022. Adding to funding concerns, the U.S. National Institute of Health cut indirect research grant costs to a flat 15% in February.

"Venture capital money doesn’t go into extending lifespan—it goes into drugs because they’re the most profitable,” Leibowitz said. “That’s just how the system works; they follow the profit."

Leibowitz said these obstacles make decentralized finance an appealing alternative for longevity researchers. By using smart contracts, DAOs, and tokenized incentives, DeSci aims to enable direct funding, open publishing, and peer-to-peer validation, reducing bias and barriers while ensuring greater accessibility and integrity in scientific discovery.

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How Pump.Science works

The idea behind Pump.Science is to provide a tokenized research pipeline that guides projects from initial proposals to commercialization. Researchers submit ideas, launch tokens to raise funds, and conduct experiments in phases.

The Tokenized Research Pipeline

• Idea Submission: Scientists propose a research project and pay a 3 SOL fee.
• Worm Trials: The first stage tests compounds in worms.
• Fly Trials: If results are promising, research moves to fruit flies.
• Mouse Trials: Further validation occurs in mice through endurance tests.
• Human Trials: Participants use wearable technology like Apple Watches or Fitbits.
• Commercialization: The compound can be sold as a supplement if demand exists.

When addressing concerns about transparency and integrity, Leibowitz emphasized the safeguards that Pump.Science has put in place.

“We work with highly reputable, white-labeled labs. They must live stream data for accountability, and we maintain a full audit trail—receipts for everything, including ordered compounds,” he said. “Our contracts also prohibit insider trading, ensuring labs can't trade these tokens.

The key is partnering with credible labs that follow well-validated procedures."

While he did not go into specific details, Leibowitz said the labs are compensated for their research.

Leibowitz acknowledges the difficulty of attracting research labs to the platform while keeping the community engaged—especially during a downturn in the cryptocurrency market.

“At a $400 million market cap, it was easy to attract attention and direct it,” he said. “However, since token prices dropped, keeping an engaged community has been incredibly difficult.”

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Beyond market fluctuations, he noted that the greater challenge is balancing a long-term vision with a community often focused on short-term gains.

“We’re not a meme coin; we’re building infrastructure to help people live longer,” Leibowitz said. “But when the community only cares about the token price, and that price is falling beyond our control, that has been the hardest part.”

By adopting the same playbook as meme coins, Pump.Science aims to attract crypto traders and enthusiasts to the world of scientific funding.

Instead of passively donating to research, token holders participate in a system where trading volume itself finances experiments, creating a self-sustaining cycle of investment and discovery.

“The key aspect here is gamification, but this is more exciting than meme coins since there’s always new data to analyze and trading decisions to make,” Leibowitz said. “If you're a gamer, there's a game to play as data gets released—we just need to make it fun.

“Making science enjoyable will attract more people,” he said.

Edited by Sebastian Sinclair