SEIS acknowledges the results of TARTAGLIA: advancements in early diagnosis of cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetic retinopathy, and chronic diseases

The innovative TARTAGLIA project, led by multinational technology company GMV and supported by a public-private consortium of 16 key healthcare entities*, has successfully exceeded its primary objective: accelerating clinical and healthcare research through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to extract valuable insights from real patient data. This breakthrough is enabling the development of new therapies and improving the accuracy of healthcare delivery.

One of the project’s most significant achievements has been the implementation of advanced neural network models and the integration of data from multiple sources. This has resulted in an impressive 80% accuracy in predicting prostate cancer, highlighting the potential of AI in diagnostics and marking a major step forward in personalized medicine.

Through collaboration between the private sector and prominent healthcare institutions—such as the Galician Health Service, Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona, Fisabio Foundation, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Research Institute Foundation, La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital Foundation, Barcelona Supercomputing Center - National Supercomputing Center, and Fundación Rioja Salud—the project has driven the development of innovative solutions for diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases such as Alzheimer’s, prostate cancer, diabetes, cardiometabolic conditions, and other complex chronic diseases.

The impact of TARTAGLIA has been so profound that the Spanish Society of Health Informatics (SEIS) has awarded the project an honorary mention at its National Awards, recognizing the consortium’s pioneering efforts to digitally transform clinical and healthcare research in Spain. The jury commended the implementation of a federated AI network and the use of advanced cryptographic methods as key breakthroughs for the sector. During the awards ceremony, representatives from GMV, the Ministry for Digital Transformation, and the Galician Health Service received the honor, emphasizing the immense value this project brings to healthcare professionals and citizens alike.

Launched in 2022, TARTAGLIA was recognized as the top-scoring project in the R&D Missions in Artificial Intelligence program under the Digital Spain 2025 agenda. The project also received funding from the European Union through the Next Generation EU funds, with a budget of more than 7.5 million euros, the largest in its category.

With TARTAGLIA, technology continues to prove its transformative potential in the future of healthcare, opening new avenues for more accurate diagnoses, more effective treatments, and increasingly personalized and accessible medicine.

Innovation in health data management and custody 

The TARTAGLIA project, led by multinational technology company GMV, has made a significant breakthrough in protecting health data with the implementation of a pioneering federated network that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced cryptographic methods. This network enables hospitals, universities, and research institutions to collaborate efficiently and securely while maintaining the privacy of sensitive patient data. Another key achievement of TARTAGLIA has been the substantial improvement in the quality of diagnostic images, enhancing their acquisition through advanced ultrasound technology. This progress not only leads to more accurate diagnoses but also offers new possibilities for both patients and healthcare professionals, paving the way for better treatment and prevention of diseases.

Managing health data has always posed a challenge due to its highly sensitive nature. Many data owners, including hospitals and institutions, have been hesitant to share it due to concerns about privacy. However, TARTAGLIA’s federated network has successfully overcome this challenge, allowing the secure exchange of large volumes of data without compromising patient confidentiality.

Through the use of the uTile PET tool, developed by GMV, secure calculations have been performed on distributed data without the need to move or expose it outside the organizations. This solution has enabled the training of AI algorithms directly within each data-owning entity, ensuring full compliance with privacy protection and security regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the National Security Scheme (ENS).

Technological advancements and regulatory compliance

TARTAGLIA has achieved an advanced level of technological maturity (TRL7**), positioning itself as a leading model for digital transformation in healthcare. Key accomplishments include:

1. Federated data network: A distributed infrastructure comprising 7 computing nodes has been established, ensuring connectivity and operability under stringent security standards. Data has also been harmonized and standardized using the OMOP (Common Data Model), guaranteeing interoperability among institutions while maintaining continuous data protection.
2. Development of artificial intelligence tools: Advanced AI models have been trained to analyze large volumes of healthcare data, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and clinical decision-making. These innovations have generated significant scientific insights into diseases such as Alzheimer’s, prostate cancer, and diabetes, accelerating research and model validation in collaboration with hospitals and research centers.
3. Regulatory security compliance: The project has rigorously complied with European data protection regulations and security standards, including ISO 27001. FAIR principles have been applied, ensuring that data is findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable, all while safeguarding patient privacy.
4. Technology transfer to clinical practice: TARTAGLIA has developed intuitive interfaces that make it easy for healthcare professionals to utilize results in clinical practice, directly contributing to improved patient care quality.

With a sturdy balance between privacy, computational efficiency, and regulatory compliance, the TARTAGLIA project represents a solid foundation for the future of health research and the scalability of innovative solutions that will transform the global management of medical data.

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* The entities forming the TARTAGLIA consortium include: GMV; Accexible Impacto SL; Barcelona Supercomputing Center - National Supercomputing Center; Dasel SL; Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades; Fisabio Foundation; Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation; Fundació TIC Salut Social; Foundation for the Research of La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital - Valencian Community; Rioja Salud Foundation; Opinno; Pixelabs SL; Galician Agency for Health Knowledge Management (ACIS); Complutense University of Madrid; PricewaterhouseCoopers Business Advisors SL; Fundació Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Research Institute; and Veratech.

** At this stage, the innovation is in its final phase, fully operable under a wide range of operating conditions. It has been thoroughly tested and is now ready for commercialization and/or production, making it available to society.