Exploiting NFTs for biobank sustainability in the Web 3.0 era (Preprint)

Abstract

UNSTRUCTURED CryptoKitties, a trendy game on Ethereum which is an open-source public blockchain platform with a smart contract function, brought non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into the public eye in 2017. NFTs are popular because of their non-fungible properties and their unique and irreplaceable nature in the real world. The embryonic form of NFTs can be traced back to a P2P network protocol improved based on Bitcoin in 2012 that can realize decentralized virtual asset transactions. At present, NFTs have gained more attention and have shown an unprecedented explosive growth trend. We aimed to introduce the concept of digital asset NFTs into the medical and health field to conduct a subversive discussion on biobank operations. By converting biomedical data into NFTs, the collection and circulation of samples can be accelerated, and the transformation of resources can be promoted so the biobank can achieve sustainable development through “decentralization.”