Mathematical models and computer simulations are playing an increasingly important role in medicine, since they represent a useful tool to complement theoretical and experimental work. Moreover, models pave the way for investigating control problems consisting of personalized approaches for patient treatment.
Smart healthcare and medical devices have become common in clinical everyday use. Popular examples include insulin pumps, inhalers and ventilators for breathing conditions, as well as implants, microcapsules and nanoparticles for drug delivery.
Many of these technologies are controlled drug delivery systems, combining a platform or a carrier with a drug to be delivered efficiently to a target tissue or organ, while maintaining the dose within a therapeutic window.
While many have achieved successful results clinically, there remain a number of scientific and technological challenges and an opportunity for further fine-tuning and optimization. Addressing these challenges requires multi-disciplinary approaches and competences ranging from clinical expertise and academic research to the industrial sector.
