In the first half of the DigiTwin4PH, contributions have been made to the (road)mapping and translational activities of EDITH to ensure the inclusion of the Belgian perspective in the Virtual Human Twin roadmap. From 2025 onwards, the EDITH activities and recommendations will be translated back from the global to the Belgian context.
Educational programs: (re)training the professionals
To ensure that digital twin technologies can realize their potential, employees and employers active in R&D of medical products need functional knowledge of computer modeling and simulation (ranging from data-driven AI to knowledge-driven techniques). Individuals working in the industry in regulatory and marketing roles must have a basic level of understanding.
The federal recovery plan has highlighted the need for training in digital technologies.
VPH has co-developed educational materials targeted at various audiences, discussing different elements of the digital twin for personalized healthcare. The necessary input was gathered through surveys and focus groups (supported by social scientists), with the majority of the work performed by the InSilicoWorld project (H2020, 2021-2024) and the involvement of the DigiTwin4PH consortium towards the end.
Several target populations were identified based on their background, their anticipated professional role and their education status, in training or in the workforce. A series of learning modules was designed tailored to these populations.
All modules are accessible in the KU Leuven online learning platform Toledo.
Stakeholder Engagement
Contact will be made with all the stakeholders mentioned in the proposal to ascertain their current understanding of digital twins for personalized healthcare and to identify gaps, hesitations, or uncertainties regarding the application or introduction of these technologies (through focus groups and online surveys).
Specific information campaigns will be developed to address these issues, for example, through videos, workshops, or public lectures.
This stakeholder engagement has been performed in synergy with the European Commission’s DigitalEurope Coordination & Support Action EDITH (Ecosystem for Digital Twins in Healthcare), that was tasked with the coordination of the roadmap for the Virtual Human Twin initiative.
In addition, several elements of public outreach were generated to familiarize the wider audience in Belgium (and abroad) with the concept of Digital Twins in healthcare in 2024 and early 2025.
Finally, DigiTwin4PH partners (T. Desaive & L. Geris) have been actively engaged in the preparation of
the Walloon exhibition on Digital Twins in the Belgian pavilion of the World Exhibition in Osaka.
Translational Program
The market study and business model analysis executed in the scope of the European EDITH-CSA project, will be translated back to the Belgian situation. This will include a market analysis, including a first health economic assessment and SWOT analysis.
National/regional opportunities will be identified for developing and translating products including/from digital twins for personalized healthcare.
Based on the European VHT roadmap, the consortium will deliver a Belgian roadmap for the further development of the in silico ecosystem and the market.