Dassault Systèmes’ Next Big Leap: Virtual Human Twins

This week the 3DEXPERIENCE World 2025 conference organised by Dassault Systèmes was held in Houston. We were there to see first-hand all the advances that the software manufacturer is introducing in its 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

The implementation of artificial intelligence in its different aspects, both generative and traditional, was one of the main themes of the event. One of these initiatives is Virtual Human Twins, which seeks to go beyond the replication of any physical product in its virtual twin to do the same with human beings and our organs and tissues.

This is not exactly a new field for Dassault Systèmes.  He started the Living Heart project over a decade ago, and on the occasion of the congress it has announced the start of a beta to evaluate a new generation of this model, which can be highly customised for individual or joint patients.

Its goal is to provide a level of configuration and automation that will turn these virtual models into powerful resources for simplifying medical device research and development, as well as accelerating regulatory approval of new treatments, as Claire Biot, vice president of Life Sciences and Healthcare Industry at Dassault Systèmes, explained: ‘A decade ago, Project Living Heart made history by introducing the first virtual twin of a human heart. Today, we take another major step forward with the next generation: a fully parametric and customisable full heart simulation, enabling medical device companies to design, test and validate innovations faster and with greater confidence. Powered by our 3DEXPERIENCE platform, this breakthrough will help our customers reduce development costs, accelerate regulatory approval and transform their ability to predict how devices will integrate with real patient anatomy, empowering precision medicine at scale.’

The case of Steven Levine, head of Virtual Human Modeling at Dassault Systèmes, is particularly noteworthy. In one of his lectures to the media during 3DEXPERIENCE World 2025, he explained that he has been working in this field for many years and highlighted the evolution of the Living Heart Project, which began a decade ago with the creation of the first virtual twin of a human heart.

This project has advanced significantly, and they are now testing a new generation of parametric models that can be rapidly customised for different patients.

We say it is especially noteworthy because his daughter Jesse, who was present at the session, shared her personal experience and explained her unique heart condition, in which the left and right sides of her heart are reversed.

This rare disease presents many medical challenges as very few people worldwide have it, so health professionals have very little knowledge of how her heart will progress over time.

His father used his professional expertise to develop a virtual twin of Jesse’s heart, allowing doctors to safely test treatments before applying them in real life.

According to Levine, ‘The Living Heart project has not only focused on the technical side, but also on bringing together experts from different domains, such as engineers, doctors and scientists, to work together on a single model. This collaborative approach has been key to the success of the project. By applying the power of realistic simulations to human models, we can revolutionise medical treatment‘.

Jesse also spoke about his career in medicine, inspired by his personal experience. He is currently a resident in a paediatric neurology programme and has used his medical training to help his family, including his father, when he was diagnosed with a pituitary macroadenoma in his brain. Jesse was able to use his medical knowledge and resources to guide his father through the treatment process.

Levine highlighted other virtual human modelling projects they are working on, such as lung, liver, brain and eye modelling. These projects have potential applications in a variety of medical areas, such as cancer treatment, reducing drug toxicity and researching health problems in space.

The meeting concluded with the presentation of the new generation of parametric models, which allow for fast and efficient customisation, and the promise of future applications in precision medicine. Steve and Jesse also shared with us some images and models of Jesse’s own virtual heart twin.

Dassault Systèmes has cemented its role as the leading global developer of virtual twin technology for healthcare, building on decades of development, research and experience in industrial applications that it now brings to mainstream medicine, clinical trials and patient care.

Today, with the support of artificial intelligence, these developments can be accelerated to find new models that are increasingly reliable, sophisticated and personalised.

Although there is still a long way to go and many researchers in the field of medicine face difficulties, such as funding, it is certain that such advances will in the future make it possible to improve people’s lives through technology: a digital twin of our body could become a crucial part of our medical care.