Digital Twins at work: when real life meets virtual intelligence – Milan, 29th of May 2025

As part of this exciting initiative led by the Federated Innovation ecosystem, Thierry delivered a keynote titled “Healthcare Digital Twin: The New Reality for a Safer, Faster and More Affordable Healthcare in Industry and Hospitals”. His presentation explored the transformative role of digital twins in revolutionizing the healthcare sector.

The event also featured our Research & Technology Working Group Leader, Prof. Liesbet Geris (VPH Institute), who gave a compelling overview of the EDITH project. She was joined by a diverse line-up of esteemed speakers from academia, industry, research centres, foundations, and startups — all united by a shared vision for advancing digital innovation.

The workshop blended expert talks with interactive discussions, inviting participants to exchange insights and shape the future of Digital Twin applications.

One key takeaway from the discussion was that Digital twins in healthcare are no longer a distant concept — they are already being used to support patient care today. While ongoing research and model refinement are crucial to expand their application and improve their reliability, collaborative initiatives like the Avicenna Alliance are helping drive this progress. We must act now, as this technology is already capable of saving lives.

Equally important is building trust among key stakeholders — industry, academia, regulators, clinicians, and patients. Open dialogue is essential to understand each other's perspectives and challenges. This Italian workshop on digital twins stands as a strong example of the kind of productive collaboration we need.