What if doctors could test a treatment on a virtual model before applying it to a real person?
In this episode of Schampar digital, we talk to Sven Hirsch about digital twins in medicine. A so-called digital twin is not a virtual avatar like in video games, but a medical simulation model. It is based on real data, e.g. MRI images, vital signs or lifestyle information, and can help to plan treatments individually and identify risks at an early stage.
Sven explains how these digital twins work, why they must be continuously updated, and what opportunities they offer. In the research project GEMINI, he collaborates with partner institutions from across Europe to develop digital twins for stroke treatment. The goal is to improve and accelerate clinical decision-making, gaining precious time in critical situations.
What can these digital replicas already do today? What kind of data do they require? And how is data standardization handled within an international research consortium?
This episode also sheds light on the challenges: data privacy, technical standards, and the question of how digital twins can be integrated into everyday medical practice and who will pay for them.
We also explore their potential for prevention: Could a digital twin one day warn us when health risks begin to emerge?
Sven Hirsch works at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and heads the Institute of Computational Life Sciences. He is a member of the DIZH structure Digital Health Zurich, a practice laboratory for patient-centered clinical innovation, and is involved in several projects funded by the DIZH.
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Schampar digital is the podcast that communicates complex research topics from the DIZH universities in an understandable way. Our aim is to provide insights into the digital transformation and make current topics from various specialist areas tangible. More information and episode overview
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