ÉTS Launches its New Research Institute for Innovation in Health Technologies--itechsanté

MONTRÉAL, Nov. 18, 2025 /CNW/ - The École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) officially launched its new research institute for innovation in health technologies, itechsanté, yesterday. This event marks an important step in ÉTS's commitment to developing innovative technological solutions to meet the current and future needs of the healthcare system in Québec.

Clarisse Bascans, Administrative Director of itechsanté; Kathy Baig, Director General and Chief Executive Officer at ÉTS; Michel Huneault, Vice President of Academic Affairs at ÉTS; Sylvain Bouix, Co-Scientific Director of itechsanté; Nicola Hagemeister, Scientific Director of itechsanté; Christian Casanova, Vice President of Research and Partnerships at ÉTS; Annie Bouthillette, Vice President of Institutional Relations at ÉTS. Photo credit: Catherine Alegre (CNW Group/École de Technologie Supérieure)

Full auditorium during the speech by Christian Casanova, Vice President of Research and Partnerships at ÉTS. Photo credit: Catherine Alegre (CNW Group/École de Technologie Supérieure)

Luc Sirois, Chief Innovation Officer, Quebec; François Bastien, President, Effet B, and Chair of the Board, MEDTEQ+; Carole Jabet, Vice President, Research and Scientific Director, FRQ-Santé; Stéphane Moreau, Senior Director of Engineering, Commercialized Products|Cardiac Ablation Solutions, Medtronic; Louis De Beaumont, Director of Research and Innovation, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Nicola Hagemeister, Scientific Director of itechsanté and Professor. Photo: Catherine Alegre (CNW Group/École de Technologie Supérieure)

Yassine Mrabet, a doctoral student, shows a “hearable,” a device capable of capturing sounds inside the ear. His research supervisor, Rachel Bouserhal, oversees the Marcelle-Gauvreau Research Chair in Engineering on multimodal health monitoring and early disease detection using hearing aids. Photo credit: Catherine Alegre (CNW Group/École de Technologie Supérieure)

All members of itechsanté present at the inauguration Photo credit: Catherine Alegre (CNW Group/École de Technologie Supérieure)

Created to transform complex healthcare challenges into opportunities, itechsanté focuses on co-creation and brings together a diverse community of researchers from a variety of disciplines, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, and members of civil society. The institute currently has 50 professors and 65 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. With a faculty of 300 at ÉTS, itechsanté will eventually be able to draw on the expertise of a broader group of researchers, which will make it possible to expand research activities and increase interdisciplinary collaborations over the coming years.

The institute's mission is to develop technologies and processes capable of preventing or diagnosing pathologies more quickly, supporting people living with physical, psychological, or neurological disabilities, while also optimizing the efficiency of the healthcare system and supporting the performance of industries operating in this field.

Quotes

"The launch of itechsanté is a concrete example of our desire to position ÉTS as a key player in technological innovation for healthcare. By bringing together a community of researchers, clinicians, and entrepreneurs, we are creating a unique ecosystem that will foster the development of concrete solutions adapted to the real needs of our healthcare system. The institute is a strategic investment in the future health of the people of Québec." [Translation]
- Kathy Baig, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of ÉTS

"itechsanté brings to life a vision where technology and people can come together to develop innovations that make a real difference in people's lives. Our strength lies in our ability to bring together people with different areas of expertise and to work in partnership with stakeholders. We do not create technologies in a vacuum. We design them in response to the needs of healthcare professionals, patients, and industries. This approach will enable us to achieve tangible and long-lasting results." [Translation]
- Nicola Hagemeister, Scientific Director of itechsanté

Three Strategic Priorities at the Heart of itechsanté's Mission

The institute's activities are focused on three key areas:

• Taking Action for Optimal Health--Prevention and Wellness itechsanté develops innovative solutions to prevent chronic diseases and promote healthy living. By reducing pressure on the healthcare system, it aims to improve people's quality of life while generating sustainable savings.
• Acting on Care--Connected and Personalized Health Care Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, itechsanté makes care more accessible, personalized, and responsive to everyone's needs. This not only maximizes the effectiveness of care, but also reduces inequalities in access.
• Taking Action on Operations--Process Optimization itechsanté helps make healthcare services and health-related industries more efficient. By optimizing clinical processes, workflows, production lines, and supply chains, it helps companies and institutions increase productivity, reduce lead times, and improve the quality of services and products for users.

A Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Approach

The four pillars of itechsanté's services are: 1) interdisciplinary and collaborative research geared to the needs expressed by our partners; 2) training to ensure that the next generation of healthcare professionals meets the needs of society; 3) fostering technology transfer through entrepreneurship to support the student and research community; and 4) communicating science so that researchers can influence public policy.

The institute works closely with the University of Montréal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and the CHU Sainte-Justine, further strengthening the relations between university-based research and clinical settings.

Learn more: Visit the itechsanté website

About ÉTS

Specializing in university education and applied research in engineering and technology, ÉTS is the leading engineering faculty in Quebec and the second largest in Canada. Its cooperative education model and its 50 scientific clubs and student groups encourage its engaged community to be entrepreneurial and innovate, making a significant impact on the technological development of society. ÉTS maintains unique and privileged relationships with the business and industrial sectors, with 60% of its research activities conducted with, and for, companies in Québec, Canada, and internationally. It has established itself as a key player in the innovation cycle, notably by founding Centech, which is ranked among the top 10 most effective incubators in the world.

SOURCE École de Technologie Supérieure

Information: Hélène Laurin, Service of Public Affairs and Government Relations, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), [email protected]