Dr. François Tranquart has spent over four decades at the forefront of imaging innovation. From early academic work to global leadership in contrast agents, radiopharmaceuticals, and image-guided therapy, his career spans not only technological transformation, but also a major redefinition of imaging’s clinical role—from diagnostic to deeply therapeutic.
At Bracken, François brings unique cross-sector expertise to clients developing imaging agents, designing clinical trials, or preparing for regulatory submission. His career reflects the kind of scientific rigor, clinical credibility, and translational thinking that define Bracken’s multidisciplinary approach to imaging and radiopharmaceutical strategy.
“Over the last forty years, there was a big shift and acceleration in terms of speed and resolution reaching unprecedented levels,” says François, reflecting on the evolution of medical imaging. “But the true revolution was coming from the exploration of biology using molecular imaging with PET agents opening the way to personalized medicine.”
He traces the field’s transformation from traditional structural imaging—which primarily focused on anatomy and morphology—to molecular and functional imaging that reveals what’s happening at the cellular and biochemical levels. This shift has enabled clinicians to detect disease earlier, characterize its behavior more precisely, and monitor response to treatment in real time. “This conjunction between imaging and therapy has revolutionized patients’ management as exampled by PSMA,” he adds, referencing the use of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET imaging in prostate cancer, which is now informing targeted therapies with measurable improvements in patient outcomes.
While molecular imaging is now a mainstay in certain cancers, François notes that these approaches are still emerging in other disease areas and indications. Broad adoption will require further clinical validation, improved access to radiotracers, and infrastructure that can support both diagnostics and targeted therapies.
Looking ahead, François sees artificial intelligence as a critical enabler of this next frontier. “AI is the second revolution to help physicians and clinicians interpret the amount of data and identify similarities between certain characteristics,” he says. With modern imaging generating vast amounts of complex data, AI tools are poised to help unlock patterns and insights that were previously inaccessible—enhancing diagnostic accuracy, predicting treatment response, and ultimately supporting more informed clinical decisions.
François has been instrumental in the approval of two imaging compounds—an achievement he attributes to designing programs around clearly defined medical need.
“I think that any new development and therefore approval is driven by a strong medical need. In that perspective, being able to identify this medical need and defend the added value of one compound in that context is highly appreciated by authorities,” he explains.
His approach is grounded in clinical benefit first, regulatory pathways second: “My background makes me focused on patients’ benefit, this advocacy being important when engaging with authorities. Overall, I think that clinical expertise is guiding regulatory pathway not the other way round.”
This mindset aligns closely with Bracken’s model: helping clients design development programs that are driven by unmet need, supported by clinical evidence, and positioned for both regulatory and commercial success.
Having led more than 20 Phase 2–4 trials, François knows what differentiates trials that enroll quickly and produce meaningful outcomes.
“A quick enrolment means that your study design is aligned with current imaging practice and is taking into account patients’ needs,” he says. He warns against overcomplicating trial designs or setting unfocused objectives. “You need to have a very specific objective in mind, not multiple objectives that cannot be fulfilled in a clear manner.” This is especially crucial in clinical trials, as nonspecific or numerous objectives can directly lead to ambiguous results.
Critically, the endpoint must go beyond visual clarity: “The goal should not be restricted to ‘better see the lesion’ but should incorporate ‘which additional information has been collected to impact patients’ management or prognosis.’”
“I think that molecular imaging is truly changing the game right now,” says François. “We have been able to image lesions in terms of size and shape more and more precisely but the new dimension provided by molecular imaging is offering a totally new perspective on disease characteristics.”
Today’s advanced imaging techniques are doing more than helping clinicians see disease: they’re transforming how it’s understood and managed. By enabling early detection, functional characterization, and real-time monitoring, molecular imaging is becoming an indispensable tool in the shift toward precision medicine. François explains, “Molecular imaging is not replacing biopsy, of course, but is assessing disease heterogeneity within and across lesions—this being an essential characteristic for predicting and assessing response to treatments.” In clinical settings, this means physicians can better tailor therapies to individual patients, identify non-responders sooner, and make faster, more informed decisions.
He also highlights the growing impact of theranostics—particularly in oncology—where targeted radioligand therapies are already demonstrating improved survival outcomes. These treatments, which combine diagnostic imaging with targeted radiotherapy, are giving clinicians a powerful new approach to treating cancers that were once considered difficult to manage.
François is a strong advocate for the growing role of image-guided therapy in expanding the reach and impact of precision medicine. As healthcare systems worldwide look for ways to deliver more personalized, effective, and less invasive treatments, imaging technologies are moving beyond diagnosis and into the therapeutic arena.
“Theranostics using radioligand therapy will be pivotal in the coming years for a large variety of disease,” he says, referencing a fast-growing area where imaging and therapy are combined to target and treat diseases more precisely. “Another way of development will be around minimally or non-invasive treatments, meaning that surgical treatment will be more and more replaced by image-guided treatments.”
This trend is already reshaping clinical practice. In oncology, for example, image-guided ablation and intraoperative imaging are being used to minimize surgical trauma, while in neurology, real-time imaging is opening doors for new, non-invasive therapies. François is particularly enthusiastic about ultrasound’s evolving role in these areas. “The opportunity offered by ultrasound techniques in so many domains such as neuromodulation, drug/gene delivery, and focused treatment will expand significantly in oncology and neurology,” he says.
Beyond innovation in high-tech environments, François emphasizes the global health potential of these advances. “We need to consider carefully which techniques can be used in less developed countries or less accessible areas, this being ultrasound-based with great promises,” he says. The portability, affordability, and versatility of ultrasound make it a powerful tool for expanding access to care worldwide.
Drawing on his experience with global regulatory bodies, François offers a caution: “It is not enough to show non-inferiority in terms of diagnosis. You need to show some therapeutic benefit to get some traction from authorities, payers and customers.”
Messaging and positioning are just as an integral part of the process. Imaging agents may be more difficult to showcase, as their benefit may not be perceived immediately. Highlighting the therapeutic benefit, in these cases, is even more crucial. At Bracken, this advice informs how we help clients design development and communication strategies that highlight the clinical impact of imaging—not just the innovation.
When evaluating new technologies, François is guided more by medical relevance than market size—a perspective that stands out in today’s increasingly competitive and innovation-saturated life sciences industry. With a growing number of diagnostics and therapeutics vying for clinical attention, regulatory approval, and reimbursement, the pressure to prove meaningful clinical value has never been higher.
“If the gaps are not obvious, the commercial strategy will not suffice to hit a significant market when it comes to innovation,” he says. “You need to be able to demonstrate that your product is changing the way you’ll manage your patient by demonstrating a significant therapeutic benefit.”
He adds: “The goal of any new development is not to add another brick into the diagnostic workflow but to assess how this workflow can be modified… I would be more convinced by strong evidence for a limited indication than by a limited evidence for a broad indication.”
With more than 170 publications to his name, François has helped shape clinical standards across ultrasound, molecular imaging, and image-guided therapy.
“I would say that the large work we did in the domain of contrast-enhanced ultrasound has played a role in demonstrating its role and value for diagnosis in several indications as evidenced by the guidelines published over the last 20 years,” he says. Alongside other experts in the field, François has helped elucidate the mechanisms involved in ultrasound-mediated drug delivery, a rapidly and significantly expanding area of research.
Dr. François Tranquart exemplifies the kind of cross-disciplinary leadership Bracken clients rely on—clinical acumen, regulatory insight, and a deep understanding of the evolving imaging and theranostics landscape. His work demonstrates how expert strategy and scientific depth can accelerate development and unlock real patient impact.
Whether you’re advancing radiopharmaceuticals, designing pivotal trials, or preparing for FDA interaction, Bracken brings the expert perspective you need. Contact us today about working with François and the rest of the team.