An ambitious project to transform the patient care pathway
The FAST-Tx project (Fast Analysis and Surgical Treatment – Thorax), winner of the 2025 FORCE Foundation Award for Innovation and Health Research, has reached a decisive milestone with the operational start of its first pre-clinical study phase at IHU Strasbourg.
Led by Prof. Pierre-Emmanuel FALCOZ and Dr. Cezar Matau, this project aims to reduce the time between diagnosis and treatment of suspicious pulmonary nodules to a single day — a major step forward for patients and a true paradigm shift in care organization.
In vivo testing to validate technological innovations
After several months of preparation, the teams from IHU Strasbourg and the University Hospitals of Strasbourg have launched the active phase of operational experiments, marked by the arrival of Intuitive’s ION robotic platform at the IHU.
The project also integrates Visible Patient Lab’s digital models and Asaria’s EagleEye augmented reality system, which leverages imaging data from the ION robot, CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography), and the bronchoscope.
© Bernard Dubois, Founder and President of ASARIA.
Technological convergence serving the patient
FAST-Tx embodies the convergence of robotic surgery, augmented reality, digital twin technology, and artificial intelligence to accelerate diagnosis and treatment while improving the patient experience.
This innovative approach is made possible by IHU Strasbourg’s cutting-edge infrastructure and demonstrates how translational research can generate tangible, directly beneficial solutions for clinical care.
© Bernard Dubois, Founder and President of ASARIA.
A synergy between research, clinic, and industry
This ambitious project would not have been possible without the commitment of numerous partners:
- Fondation Foundation for Innovation and Health Research
- University Hospitals of Strasbourg
- Visible Patient Lab
- ASARIA – Assisted Surgery by Augmented Reality & IA
- Intuitive
FAST-Tx is built on close collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and industry partners, showcasing the potential of medical innovation when clinical expertise and technological progress come together.
Towards faster, more precise, and more human medicine
With the operational launch of this pre-clinical phase, FAST-Tx marks a strategic milestone in the multidisciplinary outreach of IHU Strasbourg and its partners, who are proud to contribute to this major advancement in the fight against lung cancer.
Listen to the interview (French) with Professor Jean Sibilia on ici Alsace
As part of the launch of the pre-clinical phase of the FAST-Tx project, Professor Jean Sibilia, President of the FORCE Foundation for Innovation and Research in Health and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Strasbourg, was a guest on Ici Alsace radio on Tuesday, October 21.
During the interview, he discussed the challenges of the FAST-Tx project and the mission of the Strasbourg IHU: to accelerate the transfer of innovation to patients and strengthen synergies between research, clinical practice, and industry.
Listen to the full interview here
