21. Lost in Translation? Bridging the gap between models and medicine

A recurring theme that emerged during the production of The Digital Twin Theory is how to bring AI, modelling and simulation into everyday clinical practice. As these technologies mature, this will become one of the key challenges—and opportunities—in healthcare.

But the issue is not new. How can modellers develop tools that are not only effective and efficient, but also truly integrated into clinical workflows?

At its core, the challenge is communication—and it is far from trivial. Even the word “model” means different things: for clinicians, it often refers to something tangible, like an animal model; for engineers, it is something abstract, living inside a computer.

Bridging this gap is essential. Involving clinicians early in the development of new technologies can make all the difference.

That’s why we brought together biomedical engineer Morgane Garreau and physician Christian Kassasseya, who work closely together, to share how this collaboration works in practice.