VPH2022 conference workshops

Public and patient outreach and engagement for in silico medicine

This VPH Institute workshop was co-designed and supported by patients advocates (incl. Jenny Camaradou), the Avicenna Alliance PPI task force and the H2020 projects InSilicoWorld, SimCardioTest and SimCor. The scientists and policy makers who attended the workshop were introduced to the importance of involving multiple stakeholders, and in particular public and patients, when in silico technologies are developed. The workshop responded to questions, such as: What is the difference between outreach and involvement? What is the role of PPI for in silico research? How can we apply it while making the most of it? What are the best practices? How to effectively communicate about in silico medicine to the public? What fundings are required and/or available?

Practical implementation of PPI activities within European projects were illustrated with approaches such as Responsible Research and Innovation. We were also delighted to welcome a panel of patient advocates (online presence) who gave insightful feedback on in silico project pitches from participants.

The VPHi intends to further develop interactions between public, patients and the in silico community. This is why, in collaboration with the partners of ISW, SCT and SIMCor, we are preparing information packages to guide in silico scientists in that endeavour.

Using CompuCell3D as a platform to construct multi-scale multicellular agent-based virtual-tissue simulations of development and disease

Hosted by James Glazier from from the Biocomplexity Institute and Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, the workshop focused on Multi-scale, Multicellular Agent-Based Virtual-Tissue models built using modeling frameworks like CompuCell3D. These models are versatile tools for exploring the complex interactions between intracellular signaling and gene-regulatory networks, inter-cellular signaling through contact and diffusible signals, and force generation, cell migration and shape change. Among other applications the open-source modeling environment CompuCell3D has been used successfully to build models of vascular tumor growth and therapy, embryonic development, liver and developmental toxicology, lung infection, immune response and anti-viral therapies. The workshop explored how CompuCell3D can simplify the construction of complex, extensible and reusable Virtual Tissue models. Members of the audience had the opportunity to build and explore models during a live session.

SIMCARDIOTEST OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE – DEMO on OASIS: Computational fluid dynamics solver & SOFA: Simulation Open Framework Architecture

Kei Yamamoto, Simula, presented OASIS, a Computational fluid dynamics solver, developed by SIMULA, Norway, under the terms of GNU LGPLv3 open source license.OASIS is used, inter alia, for the the Use Case 2. This use case aims to generate in-silico personalised haemodynamic indices of left atrial geometries, complementing their morphological analysis, to identify the risk of thrombus formation in atrial fibrillation patients, to improve patient selection for the implantation of left atrial appendage occluders (LAAO) and to optimise their settings. A computational modelling pipeline is required for generating patient-specific meshes and patient-specific boundary conditions in a large number of cases. Extensive sensitivity analyses and model calibration are also needed to determine optimal methodological choices in fluid simulations, as well as detailed verification and validation (V&V) studies to assess the credibility of the developed models. The computational modelling pipeline will be integrated into the SimCardioTest platform for device manufacturers to run in-silico trials in different contexts of use such as for determining the risk of Device Related Thrombosis (DRT) of different device settings on different populations, as part of the device certifications.

Jesus Jairo Rodriguez Padilla, Inria, presented, SOFA, the Simulation Open Framework Architecture, developed by Inria, under the terms of GNU LGPLv3 open source licence. SOFA is used for the use case 1 on pacing leads. This use case focuses on bradycardia leads, while it aims at designing a numerical workflow which may extend later to other implantable devices. Two computational pipelines are built, and aim at contributing to questions on: the pacing and sensing performances of the lead on one side, and its navigation possibilities, and long-term mechanical fatigue on the other side. The mechanical model consists of solving equations of motion, deformation and interaction using standard finite element methods. While the behaviour of the lead is explicitly modelled to estimate strain/stress quantities inside it, the anatomy is approximated by a simple compliant behaviour. While the pacing model will run on simplified geometries, the mechanical and the electrical sensing ones will run at first on a small set of cardiac geometries and vessel trees (access path), obtained from clinical images. This set is expected to enlarge with time in order to be more representative for in-silico trials.

SimCardiotest was also presented by Michèle Barbier, Inria. SimCardioTest is a collaborative project between 10 organizations from 6 European countries and United States funded by the European Commission (EU H2020). The aim of the project is to provide new insight into designing predictive tools in cardiac pathologies and to accelerate the uptake of computer simulations for testing medicines and medical devices.​

ASME V&V 40 - Assessing Credibility of Computational Models through Verification and Validation: Application to Medical Devices

"Assessing Credibility of Computational Modeling and Simulation Results through Verification and Validation: Application to Medical Devices", was published in 2018 to support the credible use of modeling and simulation within the medical device industry. This standard was developed through close collaboration between medical device developers, regulatory agencies, and other device industry stakeholders, and provides modelers in the medical device industry with a framework for establishing model credibility requirements. This introductory course provided an overview of the standard and highlight its key tenets through a few medical device examples and active discussions.