AI in Surgical Technology & Augmentation Research
Augmentingthe surgeon.Advancing the science.
A-STAR develops surgical AI systems for planning, intraoperative guidance, patient education, and rigorous outcomes validation across the full surgical journey.
Our mission
A-STAR develops clinically grounded surgical AI that connects data, operative expertise, and validation.
Our focus is not only building models, but understanding where intelligent systems can safely improve surgical planning, performance, education, and outcomes.
Projects
From clinical questions to validated systems.
Each A-STAR project begins with a surgical problem, then moves through data curation, model development, validation, and translational planning. The portfolio highlights focused examples of how AI can support safer surgery, better education, and more measurable outcomes.
Status · validation
MOSI
Metabolic & Obesity Staging Index
A staging algorithm and clinical audit platform for bariatric surgery, validated on 3,097 patients. MOSI scores patients across BMI, comorbidities, and severity to recommend procedures and target weight-loss tiers.
Status · deployed
SIRIS
Surgical-IRIS Education
SIRIS helps patients ask specialty-focused education questions, review Mayo Clinic resources, and prepare questions for their care team, bridging the information gap between booking and operation.
Status · validation
GoNoGoNet
AI-guided Go/No-Go surgical safety zone detection
Computer vision model for identifying surgical dissection safety zones and supporting intraoperative decision-making.
Upcoming events
Fifth A-STAR Journal Club
The fifth A-STAR Journal Club is scheduled for August 4, 2026.
Sixth A-STAR Journal Club
The sixth A-STAR Journal Club is scheduled for August 26, 2026.
Seventh A-STAR Journal Club
The seventh A-STAR Journal Club is scheduled for September 16, 2026.
ACS Artificial Intelligence in Surgery Course
Dr. Simon J. Laplante is expected to contribute to an ACS Clinical Congress educational session on artificial intelligence in surgery.
From the lab
A-STAR Team Attends the 2026 AI Research Summit
The A-STAR team attended the 2026 AI Research Summit, where Reza Shahriarirad, M.D. presented three posters.
A-STAR Lab Represents Mayo Clinic at the 2026 ASMBS Annual Meeting
A-STAR Lab represented Mayo Clinic at the 2026 ASMBS Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
A-STAR Lab Attends the 2026 SAGES Annual Meeting
Dr. Simon J. Laplante and Dr. Abdulrahman Alomar represented A-STAR Lab at the 2026 SAGES Annual Meeting.
Collaborating institutions
Get involved
Ready to build surgical AI with A-STAR?
Bring a clinical question, dataset, or educational idea. We help shape it into a surgical AI project, validation pathway, or collaboration.
Clinical question
Translate a surgical safety, planning, or outcomes question into a scoped AI study.
Dataset / video / imaging
Shape governed data into a model, validation plan, or multi-site collaboration.
Education or Journal Club
Bring trainees, readings, demos, and surgical AI discussion into one forum.