Challenges and opportunities of integrating imaging and mathematical modelling to interrogate biological processes
Abstract
Advances in biological imaging have accelerated our understanding of human physiology in both health and disease. As these advances have developed, the opportunities gained by integrating with cutting-edge mathematical models have become apparent yet remain challenging. Combined imaging-modelling approaches provide unprecedented opportunity to correlate data on tissue architecture and function, across length and time scales, to better understand the mechanisms that underpin fundamental biology and also to inform clinical decisions. Here we discuss the opportunities and challenges of such approaches, providing literature examples across a range of organ systems. Given the breadth of the field we focus on the intersection of continuum modelling and in vivo imaging applied to the vasculature and blood flow, though our rationale and conclusions extend widely. We propose three key research pillars (image acquisition, image processing, mathematical modelling) and present their respective advances as well as future opportunity via better integration. Multidisciplinary efforts that develop imaging and modelling tools concurrently, and share them open-source with the research community, provide exciting opportunity for advancing these fields.
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BibTeX
@article{berg2026challenges,
title = {{Challenges and opportunities of integrating imaging and mathematical modelling to interrogate biological processes}},
author = {Maxime Berg and Natalie Holroyd and Claire Walsh and Hannah West and Simon Walker-Samuel and Rebecca Shipley},
journal = {International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1016/j.biocel.2022.106195},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05848393v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Challenges and opportunities of integrating imaging and mathematical modelling to interrogate biological processes
AU - Maxime Berg
AU - Natalie Holroyd
AU - Claire Walsh
AU - Hannah West
AU - Simon Walker-Samuel
AU - Rebecca Shipley
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/02
JO - International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology
DO - 10.1016/j.biocel.2022.106195
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05848393v1
AB - Advances in biological imaging have accelerated our understanding of human physiology in both health and disease. As these advances have developed, the opportunities gained by integrating with cutting-edge mathematical models have become apparent yet remain challenging. Combined imaging-modelling approaches provide unprecedented opportunity to correlate data on tissue architecture and function, across length and time scales, to better understand the mechanisms that underpin fundamental biology and also to inform clinical decisions. Here we discuss the opportunities and challenges of such approaches, providing literature examples across a range of organ systems. Given the breadth of the field we focus on the intersection of continuum modelling and in vivo imaging applied to the vasculature and blood flow, though our rationale and conclusions extend widely. We propose three key research pillars (image acquisition, image processing, mathematical modelling) and present their respective advances as well as future opportunity via better integration. Multidisciplinary efforts that develop imaging and modelling tools concurrently, and share them open-source with the research community, provide exciting opportunity for advancing these fields.
SN - 1357-2725
SN - 1357-2725
ER -