Digital Humanism

Abstract

Understanding complex biological systems requires an enormous amount of experiments producing considerable amounts of information--all of which is not currently tied together. Computers are making it easier to visualize these systems and can also serve as an essential tool to link information together. Having a shared framework would allow researchers, medical personnel and engineers to build on eachother's work as well as allow biomedical researchers to work effectively together to develop a language that will allow this to happen. The Digital Human project is an Open Source Software Consortium using 21st Century information technology tools to represent the body's processes from DNA molecules and proteins to cells, tissues and gross anatomy. We are working with Congress and the NIH to encourage central management of Digital Human research. In collaboration with NASA, we are creating an inter-agency working group on Digital Human. In addition, we are providing a Technical Advisory Board for the DARPA virtual soldiers groups.