Dr. David Peralta, an Ateneo de Manila alumnus and Editor-in-Chief of the international medicinal chemistry journal ChemMedChem, returned to his alma mater recently to lead a Wiley author engagement and publishing workshop — urging Filipino researchers to treat scientific communication as an essential part of the research process itself, not an afterthought.
The workshop, organized in partnership with global academic publisher Wiley-VCH, covered scientific publishing, research communication, publication ethics, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in academic writing, according to Kuryente News.
From Manila to Heidelberg: A Career Shaped by Two Disciplines
Peralta's path from Filipino chemistry student to international journal editor was shaped by an unlikely academic pairing. At Ateneo de Manila, he studied chemistry while simultaneously completing a background in German language and culture — a combination that quietly redirected his trajectory.
A study tour introduced him to Heidelberg, and in 2009, he relocated to Germany for doctoral research at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). He earned his PhD in the biosciences in 2015.
It was during that period in Germany that Peralta recognized his future did not lie at the laboratory bench. "I realized that I still really love science, but I didn't necessarily want to stay in a laboratory doing the lab work myself," he said.
Publishing as the Bridge Between Discovery and Impact
Scientific publishing offered Peralta a way to remain at the frontier of research without confining himself to a single experiment. "It put me at the forefront of science," he explained. "It combined my love for science, my love for writing and communication, and my love of teaching."
For Peralta, publishing is not the final step of a research project — it is an essential part of the scientific process itself. A discovery that never reaches its intended audience, in his view, is a discovery only half made.
"Doing the scientific work is important, but so is knowing how to communicate it," Peralta said. "These days, when people are searching for answers more than ever, we need to be able to explain what we do as scientists to everyone."
Workshops Built for the Next Generation of Filipino Researchers
Through author engagement programs like the one held at Ateneo, Peralta works to equip early-career researchers with the skills to present their findings clearly and compellingly. He encourages scientists to think of their research as stories that deserve to be told — and told well.
"We do these workshops to help communities and to support the next generation of researchers who will determine and shape the future research landscape," he said, according to Kuryente News.
The approach reflects a broader conviction that scientific training in the Philippines — and globally — must go beyond the technical. Researchers who cannot communicate their work effectively, Peralta argues, risk allowing important findings to go unnoticed by policymakers, practitioners, and the public who need them most.
AI in the Research Pipeline: A Warning and a Challenge
A significant portion of the Ateneo workshop addressed the fast-changing role of artificial intelligence in academic writing — a topic Peralta described as one of the most pressing challenges facing the research community today.
In his session, Peralta walked participants through specific warning signs that can betray undisclosed or careless AI use in a manuscript. These include fabricated citations, factual errors, falsified data or methods, and conclusions that cannot be supported by the research presented, according to Kuryente News.
He urged researchers to focus on verifiable, honest work rather than turning to AI as a shortcut. As emerging technologies continue to reshape how science is produced and shared, he argued, the ability to communicate clearly and ethically has never mattered more.
Interdisciplinary Thinking at the Core of Scientific Responsibility
Peralta credits his own interdisciplinary education — spanning chemistry, language, and cross-cultural study — as the foundation that made him an effective communicator and editor. He sees that same breadth as essential for researchers navigating a rapidly shifting world.
"To be an effective scientist, you need to learn how to understand people," he said. "You need to be aware of social and geopolitical situations that can shape your career, your work, and how your science is applied. Especially today, scientists need to clearly explain what they do, why it matters, and how it impacts the world around them."
Research, in Peralta's framing, is only half finished when the experiment ends. The other half begins when the knowledge finally reaches the people it was meant for.
By the Numbers
- 2009: Year Peralta moved to Germany for doctoral research at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
- 2015: Year he earned his PhD in the biosciences
- 4 red flags of AI misuse identified in the workshop: fabricated citations, factual errors, falsified data or methods, and unsupported conclusions
Why This Matters
Filipino researchers increasingly compete in a global publishing environment where communication skills are as critical as technical expertise — yet formal training in scientific writing remains limited in many local institutions. Peralta's workshop directly addresses that gap, providing early-career scientists with tools to publish ethically and effectively. His warning about AI misuse in manuscripts also arrives at a time when journal editors worldwide are grappling with how to detect and respond to AI-generated content in academic submissions.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Kuryente News