Virtual Human Twins (VHTs) for integrated clinical decision support in prevention and diagnosis

Overview

Funding for the development and validation of multi-scale, multi-organ Virtual Human Twins (VHTs) to improve prevention and diagnosis in high disease burden areas. Targets multidisciplinary consortia, including healthcare professionals, researchers, and SMEs, to create clinically validated, interoperable digital models for personalized healthcare.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants include legal entities from EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and the United States. Consortia must involve multidisciplinary teams, including clinical, technical, and social sciences expertise. Participation of SMEs is encouraged.

Funding Details

• Maximum funding per project: €12,000,000
• Funding type: Grant
• Currency: EUR

What Is Funded

• Development and validation of multi-scale, multi-organ VHT models for clinical decision support in prevention and diagnosis.
• Integration of diverse data sources (e.g., biobanks, environmental data) and modelling methodologies (e.g., biophysics-based, AI, generative AI, agent-based approaches).
• Clinical validation and health economic studies to demonstrate cost-effectiveness.
• Collaboration with existing EU initiatives (e.g., European VHT Initiative, 1+Million Genomes Initiative) and alignment with regulatory frameworks (e.g., EU Medical Device Regulation, AI Act).
• Exploitation plans for regulatory compliance and intellectual property management.

Technology / Maturity Requirements

• Proposals must build on existing standards, data repositories, and modelling assets (e.g., EDITH CSA, Platform for Advanced VHT Models).
• Focus on advanced, interoperable, and patient-specific VHT models with explainable AI components.
• Clinical studies are required; applicants must provide details in a dedicated annex.

Key Dates

• Open date: 2027-06-02T22:00:00Z
• Deadline: 2027-09-21T22:00:00Z

Application Process (High-Level)

• Single-stage application process.
• Submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
• Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) and evaluation criteria apply.

Post-Award Obligations

• Collaboration with other EU-funded VHT projects and alignment with relevant EU initiatives.
• Project assets must be made available on the Platform for Advanced VHT Models and interoperable with its technical specifications.
• Reporting on clinical validation, health economic outcomes, and lessons learned for broader application.

Geographic Scope & Language

• Eligible countries: EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and the United States.
• Application language: English.

Notes

• Proposals must address clinical use cases in high disease burden areas (e.g., co-morbidities, chronic conditions, rare diseases).
• Social sciences and humanities (SSH) expertise must be included to enhance societal impact.
• Budget must reserve funds for collaboration with the European VHT Initiative and Platform for Advanced VHT Models.
• Use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS data is mandatory if satellite-based services are employed.