AIIMS, IIT Delhi, & UCL Partner to Advance Medical Technology

The collaboration leverages the expertise of all three institutions, creating a platform for joint research programs, staff and student exchanges, collaborative degrees, and workshops.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, and University College London (UCL) have formalized a collaboration aimed at advancing medical technology.

The agreement focuses on joint research and development in areas such as detection, diagnostics, imaging, medical devices, assistive technologies, digital health, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and related fields.

Dr Michael Spence, President and Provost of UCL, emphasized the importance of international partnerships in addressing global health challenges.

"We are honored to partner with AIIMS and IIT Delhi, institutions renowned for their contributions to science and health. Together, we aim to make a difference in addressing urgent health issues," Dr Spence stated.

Joint Efforts Across Institutions

The collaboration leverages the expertise of all three institutions, creating a platform for joint research programs, staff and student exchanges, collaborative degrees, and workshops.

The initiative is expected to contribute to the development of technologies that address key health issues worldwide.

Professor Alok Thakar, Head of the Centre for Medical Innovation and Entrepreneurship at AIIMS, described the partnership as a strategic step to integrate medical science, engineering, and global policy expertise.

"Our goal is to develop impactful solutions and improve patient care delivery," he said.

Professor Rangan Banerjee, Director of IIT Delhi, highlighted the partnership’s focus on affordable healthcare innovations.

"Science and engineering, combined with medical research, can create cost-effective solutions that make healthcare accessible," he noted.

During the signing ceremony, the institutions outlined the collaboration's goals for 2024, 2025, and 2026. These include joint research initiatives, scholarships for postgraduate students, and scholar and faculty exchanges to promote academic integration.

UCL plans to offer new postgraduate scholarships in 2025, emphasizing expanding access to education.

The partnership also envisions lectures and workshops led by global experts to foster knowledge sharing across disciplines and geographies.

The collaboration will draw on industry connections to create interdisciplinary healthcare technology solutions. This approach aligns with the institutions' shared goal of addressing critical challenges through practical, scalable innovations.

Following the agreement’s signing, representatives visited IIT Delhi’s mPRAGATI, a national facility dedicated to medical device development. This visit highlighted the technological capabilities and ongoing projects within the collaboration.

While bilateral partnerships have previously existed between UCL and the Indian institutions, this trilateral collaboration marks the first comprehensive, cross-disciplinary initiative among the three.

It is expected to accelerate advancements in MedTech and create new opportunities for innovation in healthcare delivery.

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