The computational chemist (Coveney) and Science Museum director (Highfield) reveal what it takes to build a virtual, functional copy of you in five steps. This is a panoramic account of efforts by scientists around the world to build digital twins of human beings, from cells and tissues to organs and whole bodies. These virtual copies will usher in a new era of personalised medicine, one in which your digital twin can help predict your risk of disease, participate in virtual drug trials, shed light on the diet and lifestyle changes that are best for you, and help identify therapies to enhance your well-being and extend your lifespan. But challenges remain.
Coveney and Highfield talk to Jennifer Gabrys, Chair in Media, Culture and Environment in the Department of Sociology at the University of Cambridge.