Helen Byrne (University of Oxford) and Steven Niederer (King's College London) recently hosted a workshop on "The Mathematical Foundations of Oncology Digital Twins" at the Isaac Newton Institute.
The workshop brought together mathematicians, oncologists, data scientists, and computational biologists to explore the emerging field of oncological digital twins. These mathematical and computational replicas of cancer patients and tumours aim to transform personalized medicine by simulating disease progression and forecasting treatment responses.
Digital twins in oncology are often built upon mechanistic models of biological processes but increasingly make use of AI and machine learning methods. These techniques are used for data integration, dimension reduction, calibration, emulation, sensitivity analysis, and prediction, often in combination with mechanistic frameworks. The workshop offered a great opportunity to explore how mechanistic modelling and AI can be combined to improve personalised cancer care.
Recordings of many presentations are now available online, giving insights into current challenges, opportunities, and the future of digitally enabled precision oncology.
