Annual BIOREME Conference 2025 Blog
The BIOREME Annual Conference 2025 brought together researchers, students, and clinicians at the Alan Turing building, University of Manchester, on 10th and 11th September, showcasing cutting-edge work in mathematical modelling of respiratory diseases. Organised by Dr Carl Whitfield, Prof Bindi Brook, and Joe Bass, the event celebrated the progress of the EPSRC-funded BIOREME Network+, which has grown to over 250 members across academia, industry, and healthcare since its launch in 2022.
A key aim of the conference was to provide early career researchers and students the opportunity to present their work through abstract submissions and 10-minute talks, fostering collaboration and networking. Around 45 attendees joined this year.
Programme highlights
Four keynotes framed the programme:
1. Biophysical digital human twins for pulmonary hypertension, Prof Merryn Tawhai.
2. Atmosphere to Alveolus: Modelling Inhaled Xenobiotics Journey in the Lung, Dr Ian Mudway
3. Intensive Care Ventilator Goes E-Bike, Prof Ben Fabry.
4. Towards a predict & prevent approach in chronic airways diseases, Prof Nayia Petousi.
It ended with an open panel discussion on integrating in-silico technologies in respiratory medicine, with Prof Bindi Brook, Dr Ian Mudway, Prof Stephen Fowler, Prof Nayia Petousi, Prof Merryn Tawhai and chaired by Prof Alex Horsley on exploring obstacles, priorities, and high-potential areas for the field.
Key areas of discussion revolved around the significant unmet need to detect respiratory disease early and preventing acute disease from becoming chronic. Important points were made regarding the fact that in silico approaches have not been adopted in respiratory medicine to the same extent as they have in cardiovascular medicine. It was suggested this may be partly due to the within-lung and within-population heterogeneity of respiratory disease, complicating their study. Furthermore, the lack of funding in respiratory medicine compared with cardiovascular disease, despite global prevalence, was highlighted.
Interestingly, clinicians on the panel made the point that there is a perception that cardiovascular disease can be cured, while many respiratory diseases cannot. Valuable insight, came from Ian Mudway, who argued for widening the conversation by bringing patient groups and policy makers/councillors into the room to raise public visibility and strengthen the case for funding. There were discussions around the definition of “digital twins” and the need to be clear about what this means in the context of respiratory models. Merryn Tawhai advocated for use of this phrase to refer to models that are continuously adapted/refined based on frequent or continuous monitoring of key variables.
Between these sessions attendees also tried out the BIOREME/NIHR - funded VR game, bringing an interactive element to the programme.
Celebrating the best talks
Prizes for the best undergraduate talk and top three early career researcher presentations were chosen by our keynote speakers. These awards recognise outstanding contributions from the next generation of respiratory modelling researchers.
Best Undergraduate Prize
Dylan Spokes & Zack Dingwall for Porous Medium Approach for Modelling Lung Ventilation and Drug Delivery
Top 3 Early Career Researcher Prize (listed in no particular order)
Ewan Fewell for The role of mechanical stress in maintaining homoeostasis or preventing airway remodelling
Jonathan Brady for Developing a ventilation MRI-based model of particle deposition in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis
Robin Curnow for Modelling the exchange of VOCs in the airways and alveoli
Looking ahead
Having reached critical mass, there is significant interest in continuing BIOREME in some form, after current funding ends in June 2026. One idea is to sustain the network via a modest membership fee to support onward activities and further collaboration.
As BIOREME funding draws to a close in June 2026, we will continue to look into ways we can sustain and expand the network long term. We would love network members to have their say, so please do contact us if you have any suggestions or proposals for how BIOREME should operate going forward.
In the meantime, please take a look at our next upcoming event, a workshop hosted jointly with the QSP-UK network, on the 8th of December. You can find more information on our events page.