Understanding the cell: Future views of structural biology. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38306981/)

These scientists wanted to understand how cells work by studying their different parts in great detail. They used new technologies to look at the structures of different machines inside cells. They found a lot of information, but they still didn't fully understand how cells function.

So, the scientists came up with a new idea. They wanted to create a virtual reality of cells, like a computer game, where they could see all the different parts of a cell and how they move and change over time. They called these virtual cells "digital twins."

By creating these digital twins, the scientists hoped to learn more about how cells work. They could study the tiny details of cells and simulate different processes happening inside them. This would help them make new predictions about how cells function, and they could test these predictions in real experiments.

To do this, the scientists used a lot of data they already had about cells and turned it into computer algorithms. These algorithms could learn from the data and come up with new ideas and solutions to understand how cells work.

So, in simple words, these scientists wanted to create a virtual reality of cells called digital twins. They used a lot of data and computer algorithms to learn more about cells and make new predictions about how they function.

Beck M., Covino R., Hanelt I., Muller-McNicoll M. Understanding the cell: Future views of structural biology. Cell. 2024 Feb 1;187(3):545-562. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.12.017.