For the first time at the recent VPH2020 Conference, the VPH institute has awarded the honorary memberships to two senior researchers who have made, and are continuing to make, extraordinary contributions to the field of in silico medicine and the VPHi community: Prof Denis Noble and Prof Marco Viceconti.
Prof Denis Noble (University of Oxford) and Prof Marco Viceconti (Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna) are both founding fathers of the VPHi and have been involved with the Institute from before its inception. Denis was the first VPHi President, serving 3 consecutive terms. Marco was the first Executive Director – his name at some point was all but synonymous to the VPHi – to then take over the position of President from Denis.
No matter how well the digital version of this conference has worked for the scientific sessions, an award ceremony is not the same thing without the presentation of a commemorative plaque and a big round of applause from the audience to show their appreciation. Due to this unusual and difficult situation caused by the COVID pandemic, the plaques will be sent through the mail and as for the applause: we will make up for this at the next occasion where we are able to meet physically again.
For now, on behalf of the VPHi community, we would ask Denis and Marco to accept our sincerest gratitude and deep recognition for their crucial contributions to creating and realizing the vision of in silico medicine and the Virtual Physiological Human!
