PHASE: The Population Health Agent based Simulation nEtwork

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Ideas that seemed like science fiction only a few years ago are now reality. Modern computers are powerful enough to simulate a city with millions of citizens inside a virtual world. We can learn how to improve health in the real world by studying "simulated populations" like this, and identifying how individual citizens, or "agents", within this virtual world interact with each other and how their health behaviours change when aspects of the simulated environment change. The Population Health Agent-based Simulation nEtwork (PHASE) will bring together scientists, computer software developers, government workers, charity sector staff, and University researchers who are interested in improving the health of the population. By supporting different groups to work together, the UK will become a world leader in simulation methods for health, and will aim to tackle key public health issues like obesity, tobacco and alcohol use, and physical activity and exercise.The PHASE network aims to:1. Teach people how simulating individual and environmental factors and their influence on population health can improve our understanding of how to prevent non-communicable diseases. 2. Build stronger teams: putting together people that can create population simulations with scientific experts and those on the front line working in communities to improve public health.3. Move science fiction to science fact: To get people around the UK talking about simulation methods for health, so that research funders, Universities, health workers and the public understand more about this 21st Century approach to improving health.To achieve these aims, the network will hold meetings to get people talking about simulation methods and how these can be applied to public health problems, make new connections and build new teams. Training in simulation methods will be delivered through the network and expert network members will write reports and guidelines so a wide range of people can learn about the best way to use the simulation methods.The network staff will develop an interactive website and online registry where people can find out:Who is in the network and how to join?What are the key health improvement issues?What simulations are already developed and how can I use them?In the long term, the PHASE network will increase the number of people across the UK who know about and understand simulation methods for health, and build a community of experts working in health improvement using these methods. Through network events and training we hope to build expert teams from a range of different backgrounds, working together to use simulations to tackle some of the major public health challenges facing us today.