Blockchain
Medicilon Appoints Dr. Liu Jian as President of Drug Discovery Division
Medicilon, a leading one-stop pharmaceutical preclinical R&D service platform CRO, recently appointed Dr. Liu Jian as the President of Drug Discovery Division. Medicilon recognizes the importance of drug discovery as the cornerstone of new drug innovation. With expertise in modern synthetic chemistry, Medicilon excels in various cutting-edge areas of pharmaceutical research, including chiral drugs, glycochemistry, antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), nucleoside/nucleotide drugs, and oligonucleotide drugs (such as RNAi). Additionally, Medicilon has made significant advancements in PROTAC technology and enhanced its BSL-2 laboratory facility.
With the growing pharmaceutical industry and the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, the market potential for drug discovery is enormous. The addition of Dr. Liu Jian, a seasoned pharmaceutical research scientist, will empower Medicilon Drug Discovery division to revolutionize drug discovery model and bring new imagination to drug discovery.
Dr. Liu Jian obtained his Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry and Organic Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), he subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, Irvine, and the University of Pennsylvania. In 2018, Dr. Liu Jian served as the President of the Sino-American Pharmaceutical Professionals Association (SAPA) and is currently the Chairman of the board of directors of SAPA. In 2019, he was awarded the “Outstanding 50 Asian American in Business ” by the Asian-American Business Development Center in New York and was elected as one of the 12 most influential Chinese-Americans in New jersey.
With over 20 years of experience in innovative drug development, Dr. Liu Jian has led the team to invent 10 preclinical candidates (PCCs), which have entered Phase I, II, and III clinical trials. He has filed over 72 patent applications, with 21 patents already granted. Dr. Liu Jian also possesses profound academic achievements, having published a total of 47 articles in international academic journals and serving as a reviewer for several international academic journals.
Dr. Liu Jian joined the industry in 2001 and has worked for Merck for nearly 20 years. He has led the R&D of novel small molecule drugs for various diseases, including osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, immune disease, antiviral and antibacterial, and pain. Throughout his career, he progressed from Senior Research Chemist to Principal Scientist and External Discovery Chemistry Lead, receiving the “Merck Excellence Award” four times. He later served as CSO and Operations Director at Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceutical USA Drug Discovery Center (EBI), leading the development of new drugs for cancer, immune diseases, osteoarthritis, and neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, he became the CEO of Silexon AI, responsible for building the company’s artificial intelligence platform and empowering innovative drug research.
Dr. Liu Jian expressed his honor to be part of Medicilon as President of Drug Discovery Division. Medicilon is known for establishing a comprehensive pharmaceutical preclinical research and development service platform in China and cultivated for 19 years. It has prioritized global cutting-edge technologies and fostered technological innovation. Moving forward, Dr. Liu aims to lead the Drug Discovery Division in efficient and high-quality new drug development. This includes establishing and enhancing various technical platforms for innovative drug research such as AIDD and structural biology, peptide and cyclic peptide drug development, synthetic biology, and nuclear medicine development, realizing Medicilon one-stop service experiment from target research recommendation to IND application, we could empower the discovery of more innovative drugs.
Dr. Chen Chunlin, the Founder and CEO of Medicilon, said, “Welcome Dr. Liu Jian to join Medicilon. We believe that his extensive academic background, outstanding leadership and rich R&D experience will bring Medicilon more professional and cutting-edge innovative drug development technology , as well as advanced industry insights and strategic guidance crucial to Medicilon to next stage of development.
In an era defined by rapid innovation and regulatory shifts, today’s blockchain briefing spotlights five pivotal developments: enterprise-grade data integration, municipal crypto pilots, state-level policy hearings, AI-powered token growth, and secure communications on a public ledger. Across these stories, three key trends emerge:
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Enterprise Adoption & Data Integration
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Government Experimentation & Oversight
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AI & Security Innovations in Crypto
Below, we dissect each story’s essence, unpack its broader implications, and offer opinion-driven insight for Web3 stakeholders.
1. Space and Time Joins Forces with Microsoft Fabric
Source: Chainwire / The Defiant
On May 20, 2025, Space and Time Labs (SXT)—a zero-knowledge data platform backed by Microsoft’s M12 Ventures—announced integration of its multichain index (Bitcoin, Sui, Ethereum) into Microsoft Fabric’s OneLake environment. This partnership delivers real-time, verifiable blockchain data directly within Azure, enabling developers and enterprises to build data-driven Web3 and AI applications without custom pipelines.
Opinion: Embedding verifiable on-chain data into mainstream analytics tools marks a watershed moment. As traditional enterprises crave decentralized insights, Fabric’s native access to SXT’s ZK-proven data could accelerate blockchain analytics, foster hybrid cloud-Web3 solutions, and reduce vendor lock-in. Expect more legacy tech giants to pursue similar alliances.
2. New York City Eyes Crypto for Taxes & Records
Source: DL News
Mayor Eric Adams revealed plans to form a Digital Assets Advisory Council to explore crypto-based payments for municipal services, including taxes, birth/death certificates, and land records. While specifics remain under wraps, Adams highlighted zero-knowledge proofs as a privacy-preserving tool for public documentation on distributed ledgers.
Opinion: New York’s initiative signals growing municipal appetite for blockchain beyond investments. By potentially accepting tax payments in crypto and securing vital records on-chain, NYC could pioneer use cases that blend transparency with privacy. However, pilot programs must rigorously address volatility, regulatory compliance, and digital inclusion to avoid disenfranchising underserved communities.
3. Wyoming Committee Explores Blockchain, AI & Right-to-Repair
Source: Wyoming Public Media
During its first interim meeting (May 14–15, Jackson Hole), Wyoming’s Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation reviewed the state’s proposed Wyoming Stable Token—tethered 1:1 to USD—and examined AI governance and right-to-repair legislation. The Stable Token Commission anticipates a July 4 alpha launch, while lawmakers debated CBDC distinctions, tokenized real-world assets, and consumer repair rights.
Opinion: Wyoming continues to cement its reputation as a blockchain haven. Explicit carve-outs distinguishing stablecoins from CBDCs, coupled with regulatory sandboxes for AI and repair laws, underscore a holistic approach to innovation. Other states should monitor Wyoming’s alpha testing outcomes to inform balanced policy frameworks that nurture Web3 while safeguarding consumer interests.
4. AI Tokens Surge in Crypto’s New Tango
Source: The Economic Times
Himanshi Lohchab reports that AI-centric utility tokens—built to autonomously execute services like compute renting (Render), predictive analytics (SingularityNET), and data marketplaces (Ocean Protocol)—have seen market caps soar from $2.7 billion to nearly $30 billion within a year. Key players include Near Protocol’s AI modules, ICP, The Graph, and emerging AI agents that generate revenue per usage. Institutional interest from Grayscale, BlackRock, and Fidelity further validates the trend.
Opinion: The AI-blockchain convergence is no fleeting fad. AI tokens promise programmable revenue streams and decentralized toolchains, but they also introduce autonomous risk vectors—buggy smart contracts, accountability gaps, and regulatory ambiguity. Security audits, standardized interoperability protocols, and clear legal frameworks will be crucial to sustain investor confidence.
5. BSV Association Selects Binarii Labs for Secure Communications
Source: CoinGeek (via PRNewswire)
The BSV Association has designated Binarii Labs to implement BinariiDSM, an encrypted file exchange and messaging suite that logs proofs of record on the BSV blockchain. This integration ensures immutable audit trails, data resilience, and end-to-end confidentiality for enterprises seeking verifiable trust without centralized intermediaries.
Opinion: As data privacy regulations tighten globally, blockchain-anchored communication platforms like BinariiDSM offer a compelling alternative to legacy VPNs and secure email. By immutably recording metadata on-chain, organizations can demonstrate compliance, simplify audits, and deter insider threats. Look for BSV’s secure-messaging model to inspire similar offerings on other smart-contract platforms.
Conclusion: Navigating a Dynamic Blockchain Frontier
Today’s stories reaffirm that blockchain is no longer an experimental niche—it’s permeating analytics, public services, legislative agendas, tokenomics, and secure communications. To thrive:
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Forge Strategic Alliances: Enterprises should partner with ZK and data-fabric innovators to embed blockchain insights into their analytics stacks.
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Pilot Pragmatically: Municipalities must balance visionary crypto use cases with compliance, volatility management, and equitable access.
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Craft Balanced Policy: States can emulate Wyoming’s sandbox approach—distinguishing stablecoins from CBDCs, while addressing AI and repair rights.
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Secure the Autonomous Agent Era: As AI tokens multiply, enforce rigorous security audits and interoperability standards.
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Leverage On-Chain Trust: Consider blockchain-anchored communications for immutable audit trails and enhanced data resilience.
By embracing these actions, organizations and policymakers can harness blockchain’s transformative power while mitigating emerging risks.
The post Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – May 21, 2025 appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.
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