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The University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (UWB) is also involved in this endeavor through its research institute NTC and the Faculty of Applied Sciences. In June last year, Rector Miroslav Lávička signed the "A Statement of Intent on Development, Evidence, and Adoption in Healthcare Systems" manifesto. The manifesto highlights the European Commission's initiative to support the development of virtual human-body twins. "Joining the manifesto represents a significant step for ZČU in the European research arena regarding the development of virtual human body twins," says Rector Miroslav Lávička.

 A virtual human twin is essentially a digital model of a person created based on acquired health data and information. Such a model reproduces the biological, physiological, and anatomical characteristics of an actual individual and allows for the simulation of various healthcare scenarios and interventions without the need to involve a real person. 

Virtual human twins serve multiple purposes, not only in healthcare but also in areas such as diagnosis and treatment. With the help of these models, treatment procedures and diagnostic tests can be simulated. They are significant tools in personalized medicine. "We have been dedicated to virtual biomechanical models of the human body in collaboration with the Faculty of Applied Sciences for over 20 years, and joining this initiative further strengthens our collaboration with European partners," says Luděk Hynčík from NTC, who represented UWB at the ceremonial inauguration.

The VHT initiative aims to support and accelerate the development of these virtual human twins. The plan includes establishing a European platform that will facilitate resource sharing and activities for further advancements in science and technology in this field.

During the December event, representatives of the European Commission, the Catalan and Spanish governments, and Alfonso Valencia from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center discussed expectations and current investments in VHT. Alfonso Valencia presented the Manifesto, which aims to promote cooperation within the VHT ecosystem by gathering various stakeholders expressing their support for the European VHT Initiative and intensifying and facilitating it in the future. The event concluded with a discussion involving representatives from renowned industrial firms, innovative startups, the academic sphere, healthcare providers, and patient organizations.

The conference's conclusions focused on three main concepts: inclusiveness of all parties and technologies, sustainability of infrastructure and financing, and harmonization of metadata and language across various communities.