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The EuroPhysiome, STEP and a roadmap for the virtual physiological human

  • J.W Fenner
    ,
  • B. Brook
    ,
  • Gordon Clapworthy
    ,
  • Peter V. Coveney
    ,
  • V. Feipel
    ,
  • H. Gregersen
  • University of Nottingham
    ,
  • Université libre de Bruxelles
    ,
  • Aalborg University
    ,
  • University of Sheffield
    ,
  • University of Oxford
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well

Abstract

Biomedical science and its allied disciplines are entering a new era in which computational methods and technologies are poised to play a prevalent role in supporting collaborative investigation of the human body. Within Europe, this has its focus in the virtual physiological human (VPH), which is an evolving entity that has emerged from the EuroPhysiome initiative and the strategy for the EuroPhysiome (STEP) consortium. The VPH is intended to be a solution to common infrastructure needs for physiome projects across the globe, providing a unifying architecture that facilitates integration and prediction, ultimately creating a framework capable of describing Homo sapiens in silico. The routine reliance of the biomedical industry, biomedical research and clinical practice on information technology (IT) highlights the importance of a tailor-made and robust IT infrastructure, but numerous challenges need to be addressed if the VPH is to become a mature technological reality. Appropriate investment will reap considerable rewards, since it is anticipated that the VPH will influence all sectors of society, with implications predominantly for improved healthcare, improved competitiveness in industry and greater understanding of (patho)physiological processes. This paper considers issues pertinent to the development of the VPH, highlighted by the work of the STEP consortium.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 2979-2999

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences (Volume 366, Issue 1878)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/09/2008

Publication status

Published - 01/09/2008

ISSN

1364-503X

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/223734
  • Scopus: 48349090631

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