Montreal General unveils advanced surgical centre

MONTREAL – The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre has inaugurated the Surgical Performance Enhancement and Robotics Centre (SuPER) at the Montreal General Hospital (MGH) of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC).

With critical support from the Montreal General Hospital Foundation (MGHF), this futuristic research hub is bringing robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) to many medical disciplines – from orthopedic, abdominal, head and neck, eye, maxillofacial and spinal surgery to interventional cardiology and radiology – reimagining and redesigning medical procedures to make them less invasive, more personalized, safer and more effective.

SuPER is being called Canada’s first and only hospital-based surgical robotics and artificial intelligence centre capable of conducting full-spectrum translational research from bench to clinic.

“The inauguration of the SuPER Centre is a landmark achievement that reflects our department’s commitment to shaping the future of surgery through innovation. We are investing in next-generation technologies and analytics enabling smarter operative planning, data-driven training and augmented decision-making, helping to make surgery less invasive, safer and more personalized,” said Dr. Liane Feldman (pictured), professor and chair, department of surgery, McGill University and surgeon-in-chief, McGill University Health Centre

Leveraging the expertise of McGill University and the MUHC Department of Surgery, SuPER brings together leading clinicians, engineers, researchers, students and trainees from diverse disciplines to collaborate on the design, development, testing and refinement of innovative solutions that address true clinical needs.

At the heart of SuPER is a fleet of intelligent surgical robotic platforms – most of them developed in-house at The Institute’s Clinical Innovation Platform (CLIP). These innovative and proprietary systems, which are empowered by AI using real clinical data, augment the surgeons’ skills and capabilities.

Located in the Dr. Phil Gold Pavilion at the MGH, SuPER is part of The Institute’s Surgical and Interventional Sciences Program, which brings together basic, translational and clinical research experts working together with trainees and staff to expand knowledge in surgical procedures and trauma medicine.

The creation of SuPER builds on a long legacy of cutting-edge surgical innovation at the MGH – a legacy that has become a central element of the MUHC’s broader philosophy for advancing patient care.

It also forms the foundation of surgeon-in-chief Dr. Liane Feldman’s vision, The Future of Surgery, an ambitious 10-year plan that focuses on the development of new technologies and innovative practices to deliver safer, more personalized care and improved recovery outcomes for patients.

Thanks to ongoing philanthropic support from the MGHF and its generous community of donors, over the past three decades the hospital surgical teams have been at the forefront of minimally invasive surgery (MIS, also commonly referred to as laparoscopic surgery), refining technologies, developing research and expertise and providing a rich educational environment for residents and fellows.

This work has set the stage for MIS to become routine for some of the most complex procedures, including cancer and transplantation – first at the MUHC, then nationally and internationally.

Under the leadership of founding director Amir Hooshiar, PhD, assistant professor of surgery and scientist at The Institute, SuPER is ready to propel this remarkable revolution in surgery even further by harnessing the combined power of robotic technology and AI.

“SuPER embodies our vision and commitment to shaping the future of surgery by developing innovative surgical robotics and artificial intelligence solutions that address pressing clinical needs. It is a unique centre in Canada —and one of only a few worldwide – with the infrastructure, tools and critical mass needed to conduct full-spectrum research, from fundamental scientific discovery to clinical validation,” said Dr. Hooshiar, founding director of the SuPER Centre.

He added, “This integrated approach enables us to deliver certification-ready innovations, as demonstrated by our team’s success in securing FDA and Health Canada clearance for our first innovative technology. We are grateful for the continued support of federal and provincial research agencies, the Montreal General Hospital Foundation, the Research Institute of the MUHC, the Department of Surgery at McGill, and our MedTech partners, especially Intuitive Surgical Inc.”

Dr. Jake Barralet, vice chair (research), department of surgery, McGill University, said: “SuPER is a bold initiative that represents a shift in how we think about translational research in surgery. By physically and conceptually bringing together clinician-scientists, engineers, computer scientists, and medtech industry leaders, we are creating a unique ecosystem that supports the full innovation lifecycle – from discovery to deployment. The ability to work side-by-side within the clinical environment ensures that our research is immediately relevant, actionable, and focused on improving patient outcomes.”

The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (The Institute) is a world-renowned biomedical and healthcare research centre. Affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of McGill University, The Institute is the research arm of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)-an academic health centre located in Montreal, Canada, that has a mandate to provide complex care to its community.

The Institute supports over 700 researchers and close to 1,400 research trainees devoted to a broad spectrum of fundamental, clinical and health outcomes research at the Glen and the Montreal General Hospital sites of the MUHC. Its research facilities, including the Centre for Translational Biology, the Centre for Innovative Medicine and the Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, offer a dynamic multidisciplinary environment that fosters collaboration and leverages discovery aimed at advancing precision health throughout the life course. The Institute is supported in part by the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ). rimuhc.ca