The Virtual Physiological Human is an initiative that is strongly supported by the European Commission for the development of an integrated model of human physiology at multiple scales from the whole body through the organ, tissue, cell and molecular levels to the genomic level. Its development was considerably advanced by the activities of the STEP project, a Coordinated Action funded by the EC, which began in early 2006. This paper provides an overview of the VPH and the developments it has engendered in the rapidly expanding world-wide activities associated with the physiome. It then focuses on one particular project, the Living Human Project, to illustrate the type of advances that are taking place to further the aims of the VPH and similar initiatives worldwide.