Imperial College London explores use of digital twin heart models

Researchers at Imperial College London are developing digital twin heart models for NHS patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a life-threatening cardiovascular disease. This project, funded by £8 million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, aims to assess the feasibility, scalability, and affordability of using digital twin heart models in patient care pathways. The team will recruit 100 patients from specialist PAH centers, such as Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. By creating real-time virtual replicas of patients’ hearts using health data from various sources, including wearable monitors, researchers can closely monitor disease progression and treatment responses. Led by Professor Steven Niederer, the interdisciplinary team will evaluate the usability and accuracy of these digital twins. This groundbreaking project could revolutionize patient care and treatment strategies.