anushree's journal

Ever wondered if someone could make a virtual copy of you? Apparently, a dozen hundreds of researchers working across the European union will be able to a few years from now. Aptly named, The Virtual Physiological Human (VPH) aims at creating a virtual human model that can be adapted to YOU.

So what does it mean for me? Say, I have a blockage in one of my coronary artery and the doctor wants to plan a bypass surgery. I would search for a surgeon who is well past his prime, since we are looking for experience here, to plan a complicated surgery and hope that it is successfull. The surgeon might refer to your CT/PET/MR scans to visualize your heart and then plan the surgery. Now this is where most doctors complain - "What I see in your images does not help me plan my surgery". A powerfull statement. Isn't that what we are supposed to do anyways. And this is where the experience of the doctor counts. A 20 year experience guy will be able to interpret a scanned body organ better then a newbie. But then again comes the aspect of personalization. How a disease affects patient X might not affect patient Y in the same way. So all said and done, when the doctor opens my heart in the OT he is on his own to do the best that he can.

What if the doctor could create a virtual model of YOUR heart? What if he could plan the surgery on the virtual model? What if he could see the results of the surgery even before he has put a knife across your chest? Woah!!! Brilliant... right? That is what these bunch of the most distinguished researchers across the world are aiming for. They are creating a virtual heart at an organ, micro-vasculatur & cellular level. Then they will be able to personalize it based on your CT/PET/MR scans. The project will be funded by the european union and is pegged at 17million spead across 4 years.

So next time you want to say, "I can give my heart for you" to your sweetheart. You can. Really!