Recap Of CDD Vault User Group Meeting In San Diego

Even a cloudy San Diego morning couldn’t dim the energy and enthusiasm of the CDD Vault community. On August 28, 2025, researchers, partners, and CDD team members gathered at Nautilus by Alexandria for a day filled with learning, connection, and collaboration.

The event opened with a warm welcome from Salima Ismayilova, Ph.D., who set the tone for a program combining customer-led innovation, thought-provoking insights, and lively discussion. Attendees enjoyed a full schedule of talks and panels, followed by networking and a relaxed cocktail hour that carried the energy into the evening.

Highlights from the Event

Customer Journeys and Scientific Innovation

• Angie Santini (858 Therapeutics), a Vault user for more than a decade, shared how the platform continues to evolve alongside their cancer research pipeline.

• Duncan McColl  (Unnatural Products Inc.), engaged the San Diego audience with a deep dive into macrocycle discovery and how Vault supports their registration and assay workflows.

• John Bucci, M.S. (Plexium), walked the community through the evolution of their research informatics, sharing both past lessons and current strategies.

• Michael Hanson, Ph.D. (Atelier Therapeutics), offered a startup perspective highlighting how Vault anchors critical early-stage biotech research. 

Data, AI, and the Road Ahead

• Kellan Gregory (CDD), previewed upcoming features in Vault and outlined a roadmap toward smarter, more connected science.

• Charlie Weatherall  (CDD), emphasized that scaling human expertise and automated technologies ensure that Vault continues to support an ever-growing global research community. 

• Vladimir Makarov, Ph.D. (Pistoia Alliance), reminded the community that tools alone aren’t enough—data must be FAIR, supported by leadership, and guided by a culture that prioritizes integrity.

Panel: 3D Science – Data, Decisions & Discovery

Moderated by Janice Darlington, the panel featured Brad Savall, Ph.D., Stephane Richard, Ph.D., Mark Drew, Ph.D., and Nick Edwards, Ph.D. Together, they explored how scientific data can drive more confident decisions and enable faster, more meaningful discoveries.

Key Takeaways

• Tools + Culture: Technology is essential, but leadership and a culture of data integrity are what unlock its full value.

• AI is a long game: While AI’s potential is undeniable, its most meaningful impacts will come through careful, steady adoption in highly regulated environments.

• Learning from all data: Too often, valuable data—even from “failed” experiments—goes unused. Sharing this knowledge productively will help the entire industry advance.

• Community and collaboration: Beyond talks and panels, the real highlight was the sense of connection. In a time of financial pressures and political uncertainty, breakthroughs happen when brilliant minds come together.

If you missed this gathering, stay tuned for future announcements—and if you’d like to dive deeper into any of the topics discussed, please reach out to us at info@collaborativedrug.com. 

Here’s to collaboration, data integrity, and the journey ahead. We’re already looking forward to the next User Group Meeting.