On Christmas Eve, tech entrepreneur Siqi Chen turned to the public via social media to request funds for research into his daughter's rare brain tumor, leading to an unexpected cryptocurrency launch for research support.
The Start of the Fundraising Campaign
Chen shared on social media that he was willing to do anything to cure his daughter's life-threatening brain tumor. Within hours, he raised $75,000 of the required $100,000. Chen and his wife pledged to double every dollar beyond the initial target, potentially bringing the total to $300,000.
Launch of MIRA Cryptocurrency
Following Chen's story, cryptocurrency enthusiasts stepped in to offer support. A SOL-based memecoin named $MIRA was created, quickly reaching a value of $400,000. Chen promised that all proceeds from the coin would go towards rare disease research.
The Role of Cryptocurrency and DeSci in Medicine
Chen's story illustrates the growing integration of cryptocurrency in science funding. Decentralized science communities like BIO Protocol are actively funding developments in rare diseases using blockchain and IP in the form of NFTs.
Siqi Chen's campaign highlights the increasing synergy between the crypto community and biotech, unlocking new avenues for scientific research funding.
