VPH partners in two new EC projects: CHAIN and AIGENT

We are pleased to announce its participation as a partner in two new EC funded projects, CHAIN and AIGENT, both launched in October 2026. Although addressing different challenges, the two initiatives share a common ambition: to harness the potential of data, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies to support better-informed decisions and advance innovation in healthcare.

Through its involvement in these collaborative initiatives, VPH reinforces its commitment to connecting the in silico medicine community with European research and innovation efforts, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and supporting the responsible development and adoption of emerging technologies.

CHAIN: Advancing trustworthy AI in cardiovascular care

The European Cardiovascular Health Data and AI Network (CHAIN) officially launched with a kick-off meeting in Sophia Antipolis, France, on 7–8 October 2026. Coordinated by the European Society of Cardiology, the three-year initiative brings together 53 partners from 20 countries to accelerate the safe, effective and equitable use of AI in cardiovascular and related non-communicable disease care.

CHAIN aims to bridge the gap between promising AI technologies and their practical implementation in healthcare. By connecting health data, clinical expertise, AI evaluation and deployment support, and regulatory knowledge, the project will develop the evidence and resources needed to facilitate the responsible adoption of AI across European healthcare systems. Six real-world use cases will help assess how AI can support cardiovascular prevention, early detection, clinical decision-making and disease management.

For VPH and the in silico medicine community, CHAIN represents an important opportunity to contribute to the broader European effort to establish trustworthy, evidence-based AI solutions that can deliver meaningful benefits for patients and healthcare professionals.

AIGENT: Connecting digital twins across health and the living environment

The AIGENT project (AI-GENerated digital Twin infrastructure for healthcare and the living environment) held its kick-off meeting in Brussels on 12–13 October 2026. Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, the four-year project brings together a multidisciplinary European consortium coordinated by VITO.

AIGENT will develop a pan-European infrastructure enabling digital twins from different domains to be generated, connected and used together. By combining AI, simulation models and interoperable data infrastructures, the project aims to link human health with the buildings and environments in which people live.

This cross-domain approach recognises that health outcomes are influenced not only by individual and clinical factors, but also by environmental conditions and living environments. Through six pilot cases in Belgium, Finland and Greece, AIGENT will explore applications spanning healthcare, healthy living, building energy optimisation and indoor environmental quality, among others.

The project also aims to make advanced simulation more accessible, enabling researchers, healthcare professionals, citizens and policymakers to explore complex scenarios without requiring advanced programming expertise. Privacy protection, transparency and compliance with European regulations are integral to its approach.

For VPH, participation in AIGENT aligns with the wider vision of in silico medicine: bringing together computational models, data and interdisciplinary expertise to better understand complex systems and support decision-making in health and beyond.

VPH welcomes the opportunity to contribute to these European initiatives alongside its partners. By supporting collaboration across scientific, clinical and technological communities, VPH continues to promote the development and uptake of in silico medicine as an essential component of future healthcare innovation.

Follow the projects for updates on their activities and results:

• CHAIN: https://www.chain-flagship.eu/
• AIGENT: https://aigent-project.eu/