King's College London is leading CDTnet, a new European doctoral network that will support the training of PhD researchers in the development of cardiovascular Digital Twins.
Cardiovascular disease places a substantial burden on society, contributing significantly to mortality, ill health and healthcare expenditure. As populations age and healthcare systems face increasing financial pressures, there is a growing need to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of care through more preventive, personalised approaches to disease management.
Computational models can now be used to explore biological processes that cannot be measured directly and to predict how patients may respond to treatments before they are administered. At the same time, artificial intelligence can identify complex patterns and insights within vast amounts of clinical data. Together, these technologies are driving the development of precision cardiology through cardiovascular Digital Twins-personalised virtual representations of individual patients that can help detect and assess risks earlier, improve diagnostic accuracy, and support the selection of the most effective treatment strategies.
CDTnet, a new European doctoral network led by King's College London, brings together a strong network of leading universities and clinical and industry partners to train 15 PhD students. Building on the momentum of the DT4Health initiative and the foundations established through PIC (Personalised In-Silico Cardiology), the programme will equip the next generation of researchers with the skills to advance cardiovascular Digital Twin technologies and drive innovation in personalised cardiovascular care.
CDTnet is designed to prepare future leaders in cardiovascular digital twin technologies. Alongside doctoral research, students will receive advanced training in scientific communication, entrepreneurship, clinical translation, ethics, leadership, artificial intelligence and innovation, while building an international professional network that extends far beyond their PhD."
Prof. Pablo Lamata, CDTnet Director, King's College London
The complexity of modern healthcare systems, the challenges of understanding cardiovascular disease, the societal, ethical and regulatory considerations surrounding new technologies, and the need to develop reliable and trustworthy computational tools all present significant barriers to realising the full potential of Digital Twins in healthcare. CDTnet aims to overcome these challenges by training the next generation of innovation leaders to create practical, clinically relevant solutions.
By fostering collaboration across disciplines-including medicine, engineering, computer science and the social sciences-and connecting academic, clinical, industrial and regulatory sectors, the network will help unlock the transformative potential of Digital Twins in cardiovascular medicine.
