Background: Biobank privacy policies strip patient identifiers from donated specimens, undermining transparency, utility, and value for patients, scientists, and society. We are advancing decentralized biobanking apps that reconnect patients with biospecimens and facilitate engagement through a privacy-preserving nonfungible token (NFT) digital twin framework. The decentralized biobanking platform was first piloted for breast cancer biobank members. Objective: This study aimed to demonstrate the technical feasibility of (1) patient-friendly biobanking apps, (2) integration with institutional biobanks, and (3) establishing the foundation of an NFT digital twin framework for decentralized biobanking. Methods: We designed, developed, and deployed a decentralized biobanking mobile app for a feasibility pilot from 2021 to 2023 in the setting of a breast cancer biobank at a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center. The Flutter app was integrated with the biobank’s laboratory information management systems via an institutional review board–approved mechanism leveraging authorized, secure devices and anonymous ID codes and complemented with a nontransferable ERC-721 NFT representing the soul-bound connection between an individual and their specimens. Biowallet NFTs were held within a custodial wallet, whereas the user experiences simulated token-gated access to personalized feedback about collection and use of individual and collective deidentified specimens. Quantified app user journeys and NFT deployment data demonstrate technical feasibility complemented with design workshop feedback. Results: The decentralized biobanking app incorporated key features: “biobank” (learn about biobanking), “biowallet” (track personal biospecimens), “labs” (follow research), and “profile” (share data and preferences). In total, 405 pilot participants downloaded the app, including 361 (89.1%) biobank members. A total of 4 central user journeys were captured. First, all app users were oriented to the ≥60,000-biospecimen collection, and 37.8% (153/405) completed research profiles, collectively enhancing annotations for 760 unused specimens. NFTs were minted for 94.6% (140/148) of app users with specimens at an average cost of US $4.51 (SD US $2.54; range US $1.84-$11.23) per token, projected to US $17,769.40 (SD US $159.52; range US $7265.62-$44,229.27) for the biobank population. In total, 89.3% (125/140) of the users successfully claimed NFTs during the pilot, thereby tracking 1812 personal specimens, including 202 (11.2%) distributed under 42 unique research protocols. Participants embraced the opportunity for direct feedback, community engagement, and potential health benefits, although user onboarding requires further refinement. Conclusions: Decentralized biobanking apps demonstrate technical feasibility for empowering patients to track donated biospecimens via integration with institutional biobank infrastructure. Our pilot reveals potential to accelerate biomedical research through patient engagement; however, further development is needed to optimize the accessibility, efficiency, and scalability of platform design and blockchain elements, as well as a robust incentive and governance structure for decentralized biobanking.

SKAdNetwork is Apple's privacy-preserving iOS install attribution API. How signed impressions, postbacks, conversion values and crowd anonymity tiers work.

SKAdNetwork is Apple's privacy-preserving iOS install attribution API. How signed impressions, postbacks, conversion values and crowd anonymity tiers work.

New server-side API aims to balance user privacy and ad relevance as industry moves away from third-party cookies.

New server-side API aims to balance user privacy and ad relevance as industry moves away from third-party cookies.

Hong Kong, China, June 25th, 2025/Chainwire/--Moca Foundation today announced that it will launch Moca Chain, a Layer 1 blockchain built specifically for identity and user data. Moca Chain will support...

Estimating Levenshtein Distance for Large Documents Using Compact Signatures이 논문은 대용량 문서 간의 레벤슈타인 거리(Levenshtein Distance, LD)를 효율적으로 추정하는 새로운 기법을 제안한다. 원본 문서에서 슬라이딩 윈도우 해시를 통해 생성한 짧은 서명(signature)을 사용하여 LD를 계산함으로써, 수십만 자에 달하는 문서도 일반 하드웨어에서 실용적으로 처리할 수 있다. 제안된 방법은 개인정보 보호가 필요한 환경에서도 원본 문서 노출 없이 유사도 비교가 가능하며, 웹 스케일 중복 제거, 콘텐츠 보안, 디지털 포렌식 등 다양한 응용에 활용될 수 있다.https://zenodo.org/records/20125438#levenshtein #distanceestimation #documentsimilarity #hashing #privacypreserving