Recap Of CDD Korean Life Science Community Meeting 2025

July 9, 2025 brought together Korea’s technology and scientific communities for a special gathering focused on the evolving digital landscape in biotechnology.

Held at the Novotel Ambassador in Seoul, the event fostered insightful discussions and valuable networking opportunities centered on CDD’s latest technologies and industry insights.

Key Highlights from the Event

AAI and Quantum at the Forefront
Professor Dr. Art Cho set the stage by exploring how AI and quantum computing are driving innovation in drug discovery. Emilia Hietala and Kyu Hyuck Kang built on this theme, demonstrating practical applications of AI and explainable AI for molecular design and faster decision-making.

Integration as a Catalyst
Janice Darlington and Roland Saito emphasized how integrated technologies and data management systems enable faster, more confident research. Their presentations illustrated how linking analytical, biological, and DMPK workflows reduces friction and accelerates discovery.

Expanding Discovery Horizons
Seunghoon Lee highlighted how next-generation E3 ligases for targeted protein degradation are being unlocked by innovative discovery platforms. Dr. In Han introduced K-BioLabHub, a promising initiative designed to expand laboratory integration and collaboration capacity. Alain Decayeux followed by demonstrating how combining DEL with AI enhances discovery reach and efficiency.

Smarter Science & Future Directions
Kellan Gregory provided a look into CDD Vault’s product roadmap, outlining the platform’s evolution toward more intelligent and connected science. Dr. Edmund Champness, CSO of Optibrium—a leader in AI-driven in silico drug design—offered a preview of upcoming innovation directions. Dr. Donghyuk Ki concluded the event with a compelling case study on developing a potent, selective, and orally available CDK7 inhibitor.

Speakers & Sessions

The event featured an exceptional lineup of speakers who shared insights on topics in life sciences including:

• Alain Decayeux – Managing Director Asia Pacific,  Novalix – DEL x AI: a short insight into Novalix’s expertise

• Art Cho, Ph.D. – Professor, University of Korea; President, Quantum BioSolutions; CEO, inCerebro – Drug discovery with AI and quantum

• Dong Hyuk Ki, Ph.D. – Scientific Director, Cyrus Therapeutics – Discovery of a Highly Potent, Selective, and Orally Available CDK7 Inhibitor: Current Progress and Future Directions

• Edmund Champness, Ph.D. – Chief Scientific Officer, Optibrium 

• Emilia Hietala – Application Scientist, CDD – Design Smarter: Empowering Molecule Creation with AI and Augmented Intelligence

• In Han, Ph.D. – Executive Director, K-BioLabHub – Introducing K-BioLabHub

• Janice Darlington, – Principal Application Scientist, CDD – From Insight to Impact: Enabling Discovery Acceleration Through Integrated Technologies

• Kellan Gregory – Head of Products, CDD – The Future of Discovery: CDD Vault’s Roadmap Toward Smarter Science

• Kyu Hyuck Kang, Ph.D. – Senior Researcher, CIMPLRX – XAI in Action: How CIMPLRX Accelerates Drug Discovery

• Roland Saito, – Senior Applications Scientist, CDD – From Curves to Conclusions: Managing Biological and DMPK Data with Confidence

• Seunghoon Lee, Ph.D. – Director of Biophysics, Structural Biology & Computational Chemistry, Pin Tx – Harnessing a Discovery Platform to Unlock Next-Generation E3 Ligases for TPD

These sessions equipped attendees with actionable strategies and new perspectives on managing complex scientific data. A huge thank you to all our speakers for their valuable contributions.

Key Takeaways

The 2025 Korea UGM centered on the rapidly expanding role of AI and advanced computational methods in accelerating drug discovery, paired with the critical need for integrated, interoperable platforms to connect scientific workflows. 

The meeting also highlighted CDD’s commitment to fostering collaboration, with speakers from across industry and academia sharing innovative applications of AI, quantum computing, and targeted protein degradation.

From forward-looking roadmaps to practical case studies, the event underscored CDD’s focus on empowering the scientific community with tools and expertise that adapt to evolving research needs.

If you missed this event or would like to continue the conversation, stay tuned for details on our upcoming event announcements. We are grateful to everyone who joined us for the 2025 Korea UGM. We look forward to seeing you at our next gathering! 

If you'd like to dive deeper into any of the topics discussed or have questions about future events, don't hesitate to reach out. Contact us at info@collaborativedrug.com to schedule a discussion or learn more about upcoming opportunities in 2025 and beyond.