Attending PHUSE US Connect 2025
PHUSE US Connect 2025 was a remarkable event that brought together more than 760 industry professionals from across the globe to discuss the latest advancements and trends in clinical data science.
I attended the PHUSE US Connect 2025 conference with key members of the Catalyst Flex team—Candace Moran, Vice President, Flex Strategy; Ershlena McDaniel, Senior Director, Biometric Resourcing; and Bryan Stoddard, Senior Director, Business Development.
Key themes and topics
The conference covered a range of themes and topics, with a strong focus on next-generation technology adoption and the evolving landscape of data submission standards. Attendees had the opportunity to explore these themes through 13 streams, hands-on workshops, interactive discussions, and panel discussions. Some of the key topics included:
- Next-generation technology adoption: Exploring the latest technological advancements and their impact on clinical data science
- Evolving data submission standards: Understanding the changes in data submission standards and how they affect the industry
Takeaways from industry leaders
I came away from PHUSE US Connect energized by a number of things I learned and new industry trends and innovations. The conference also provided valuable insights into the industry’s challenges and opportunities. Key points included:
- Hybrid approach: Combining the efficiency of technology with the value of human empathy, especially with complex inquiries while utilizing self-service options for routine tasks
- Robust data protection: Ensuring transparent data handling practices and robust protection measures
Much of what the Catalyst Flex team and I saw can easily be integrated into the work we already do, such as incorporating efficiency through technology, showing adaptability, and delivering high-level quality deliverables:
- Adapting Leadership in Statistical Programming: Navigating technological advancements and evolving roles in clinical data science
- Efficiency in Visual QC Process: Leveraging technology to reduce manual processing time and improve quality control
- Adoption of AI and Open-source Technologies: Embracing AI and open-source tools to enhance automation and efficiency in clinical trial data flows.
- CDISC Analysis Results Standard (ARS): Facilitating automation, reproducibility, reusability, and traceability of analysis results data
Impactful presentations and speakers
This year’s conference featured over 200 presentations, software demonstrations, and interactive sessions, all aimed at fostering innovation and collaboration in the industry.
I felt that the following presentations stood out for their insightful contributions and challenged my understandings:
- Why Be Different? Shouldn’t Everyone Be Using Agile to Deliver Their Clinical Trials?
- This presentation emphasized the adoption of an Agile mindset in delivering clinical data artifacts, highlighting the benefits of flexibility and efficiency
- Ensuring Data Integrity: A Three-Step Approach to Clinical Dashboard Validation
- This session explored a three-step validation process addressing the challenges of data ingestion, model integrity, and visualization accuracy in clinical dashboards
- Automating SDTM Annotated CRF (aCRF) Creation
- This presentation demonstrated how automation can significantly reduce manual processing time in the annotation of case report forms (CRFs)
One memorable element of the conference was the scale of PHUSE’s effort to bring thought leadership from across the industry. With eight key working groups, PHUSE brings together volunteers to collaborate on projects addressing critical topics in data science and clinical research. It is a worthwhile investment of time and energy to be part of PHUSE’s efforts!
Stay connected with Catalyst Flex to learn more about how we can help you navigate these advancements and achieve your goals. Let’s connect!
