On 21 and 22 October two extremely engaging events addressing the Virtual Human Twins sector were held. Discussions and presentations ranged from institutional and regulatory insights to technical perspectives and concrete ongoing projects.

• 21 October: European Virtual Human Twins (VHT) Initiative: Accelerating innovation and making personalised medicine a reality through virtual human twins
• 22 October: EU-funded research on Virtual Human Twins (VHTs): fostering collaboration to accelerate innovation

21/10 European Virtual Human Twins (VHT) Initiative: Accelerating innovation and making personalised medicine a reality through virtual human twins

The European Virtual Human Twins (VHT) Initiative event focused on accelerating innovation and advancing personalized medicine through the use of virtual human models. Launched in December 2023, the initiative aims to enhance healthcare systems by integrating AI, health data infrastructures, and supercomputing capacity. It aligns with key European Commission priorities, such as the AI Continent Action Plan and the Apply AI and Life Sciences Strategies.

The event centred on advancing the adoption of Virtual Human Twins (VHTs) in clinical practice. VHTs have the potential to revolutionize healthcare by simulating treatments, predicting disease outcomes, and reducing reliance on traditional clinical trials. They offer new possibilities for early diagnosis, personalized treatments, and preventative care, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs, especially in the context of multimorbidity.

High-level contributions were delivered by representatives across various sectors, including the European Commission (DG CNECT, DG SANTE, DG RTD), public health organizations, and leading academic institutions, pointing out crucial themes like the importance of data quality, patient trust, and ethical considerations for the successful development and deployment of VHT technologies in the healthcare system. Stakeholders also addressed challenges and opportunities in foundational research, the need for transparent and trustworthy systems, as well as the integration of VHTs into the European Health Data Space and other health data infrastructures to ensure the accuracy and security of data used in developing these digital models.

Looking ahead, the VHT initiative holds great potential for revolutionizing personalized medicine and creating a more efficient, patient-centred healthcare system. As emerged during the day, special attention must be given to capacity building, empowering both patients and clinicians to effectively engage with these technologies. The European Commission is committed to supporting these advancements with new regulations and continued guidance.

22/10 EU-funded research on Virtual Human Twins (VHTs): fostering collaboration to accelerate innovation

This event brought together leading EU-funded research initiatives focused on Virtual Human Twins (VHTs), including Horizon Europe projects on VHTs for personalized disease management and Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) projects. The event provided a unique opportunity to align current research efforts with the strategic goals outlined in the EDITH Roadmap and lay the foundation for collaboration in the development of the upcoming Advanced VHT Platform.

Event plan

Several projects were invited to present their progress, objectives, insights, and achievements to date, including TARGET that was introduced by Prof. Sandra Ortega-Martorell, Project Coordinator from Liverpool John Moores University.

- GEMINI develops multiscale digital twins for ischemic and haemorrhagic stroke patients, aiming to create validated computational models to improve treatment and understand stroke mechanisms. It focuses on personalizing digital twins and integrating these models into clinical systems for wider application.

- DIGIPREDICT has developed a Digital Twin platform to model individual pathophysiology and predict the progression of viral diseases and their cardiovascular effects. It uses real-time data from wearable biosensors, AI for improved predictions, and incorporates innovative systems like Vasculature-on-Chip and Heart-on-Chip for enhanced accuracy.

- TARGET, presented by project coordinator Prof. Sandra Ortega-Martorell, who gave a brief overview of the project’s work towards the development of health virtual twins to advance AF-related stroke prevention and rehabilitation. She introduced the project's goal to create predictive AI models that can identify stroke risks, manage post-stroke recovery, and improve both physical and functional outcomes for patients. Initially concentrating on the heart, the project will expand to include other organs and systems, using data from patients at various stages of the disease to predict stroke risks and plan preventive measures. In addition, TARGET aims to assist in the rehabilitation of stroke survivors, developing models that support recovery of motor and cognitive functions, ultimately helping patients regain their pre-stroke capabilities. A key aspect of the project is the creation of a digital community that connects patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, providing a more personalized approach to healthcare and enhancing treatment and quality of life. Powered by AI and machine learning, TARGET analyses real-time data to answer crucial clinical questions, supporting clinicians in making informed decisions for patient management. The project is structured around three main pillars: monitoring atrial fibrillation for stroke prediction, evaluating stroke outcomes, and selecting appropriate rehabilitation programs for post-stroke patients. Prof. Ortega-Martorell then covered TARGET’s efforts in collaborating with other EU-funded projects, specifically mentioning the MAESTRIA project, as both share similar goals and innovative approaches in using digital technologies and AI for stroke management and rehabilitation. This connection is expected to lead to potential collaborations that can accelerate progress and broaden the impact of both projects.

- dAIbetes aspires to revolutionize Type 2 Diabetes treatment through personalized predictive models, reducing prediction errors by at least 10%. It uses data from 800,000 patients and advanced AI techniques to create virtual twin models for better treatment outcomes.

- ARTEMIS focuses on advancing understanding of Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) and its cardiac complications. It integrates multi-organ models, including the heart and circulation systems, and aims to bring VHTs closer to clinical practice with AI-driven clinical validation.

- TETRIS develops personalized risk scores from clinical, genetic, and imaging data to predict and mitigate long-term cardiac, pulmonary, and secondary-tumour risks after radiotherapy. It also designs and tests digital-twin simulations to model patient trajectories, supporting more precise treatment decisions and follow-up.

- STRATUM is working on a 3D decision support tool to assist surgeons during brain tumour surgeries. It provides real-time, data-driven insights to improve surgical decisions and patient outcomes, with future plans for clinical validation.

- DTRIP4H is creating a decentralized Digital Twin ecosystem to connect European research infrastructures for advanced health innovation. It integrates real and synthetic data to enhance research in cancer, drug discovery, and precision medicine, while focusing on ethical standards and AI-enhanced models.

- CERTAINTY focuses on creating virtual patient twins to personalize adoptive cellular immunotherapies for cancer. By combining in silico, real-world, and in vitro data, it aims to optimize treatment responses and improve patient-specific outcomes in cancer therapies.

These projects are a part of an overarching movement to deploy Digital Twin technologies and AI to enhance personalized healthcare across multiple fields, including diabetes management, cancer treatment, stroke care, and beyond. Their success will be determined by the integration of diverse datasets, AI-driven models, and the continuous evolution of these systems to meet clinical needs and improve patient outcomes.

These events offered the opportunity to explore the VHT reality, with its constant and rapid progress, and to better understand the impact and benefits that such technology can generate in the future of healthcare.