eSolv is an e-simulation platform developed for students at the Faculty of Medicine of the University Medical Center Utrecht as part of the ‘Onbegrensd leren’ (Limitless Learning) programme of the UMC Utrecht.

Simulations performed by eSolv are based on mathematical models, which are defined in the open standard programming language CellML. eSolv has been developed with the purpose to model biomedical processes, but is similarly appropriate for simulating physical, chemical or other processes. The power of eSolv is the flexibility in ways of presenting models to students. Furthermore, it is easy to adapt a lab to the level of students. An already implemented mathematical model can be easily reused to generate additional labs with various levels of complexity.

‘Limitless Learning’ (‘Onbegrensd leren’) is the Educational ICT programme of the University Medical Center Utrecht. The ambition of this programme is to enable ubiquitous learning for our students and employees independent of time and location.

By 2016, online resources and communication, feedback, and assessment tools will be accessible to all students and employees of University Medical Center Utrecht.

In this programme digital tools are being developed, such as e-lectures, e-modules, e-assessments and e-simulations. Digital tools are used in combination with more conventional ways of teaching (this is referred to as ‘blended learning’) in the classroom or the workspace. These digital tools offer new opportunities to stimulate patient safety, learning, efficiency, internationalization and innovation.

For more information: www.onbegrensdleren.nl

eSolv has been developed in collaboration with Dr. Alan Garny (The University of Auckland, New-Zealand) and Dr. David Nickerson (The University of Auckland, New-Zealand), authors of OpenCOR and CSim, respectively.

The methods and software used to build eSolv are the product of the Virtual Physiological Human initiative. See the following publication for a more elaborate description of this context.

D.P. Nickerson, A. Garny, P.M.F. Nielsen en P.J. Hunter. Standards and tools supporting collaborative development of the virtual physiological human. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2013;2013:5541-4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24110992.