Jon Olav Vik

• 
  The virtues of virtual experiments in multiscale modelling
  Jon Olav Vik

  Virtual experiments are essential in specifying, assaying, and comparing the behavioural repertoires of computational physiological models. This has applications in model composition, which is crucial for integrative research programmes such as the Virtual Physiological Human and the Human Brain Project. By clearly specifying (sub-) model requirements in terms of expected behaviours under standardised experiments, we envision that model composition could be made much more straightforward, focused and reliable, achieving the industry-level quality management that computational modelling needs to enter the clinical mainstream. A key step is that models and experimental protocols should be represented separately, but annotated so as to facilitate the linking of models to experiments and data. The rigorous, streamlined confrontation between experimental datasets and candidate (sub-) models would enable a "continuous integration" of biological knowledge, in clinical application as well as in model development and basic research.