Infosys Foundation & C-CAMP Partners to Launch Project ‘Early Life’ in K’taka

The 'C-CAMP-Infosys Foundation Project Early Life' initiative aims to improve healthcare services for pregnant women and infants in the state.

Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Infosys, in partnership with Bengaluru-based biotech innovation hub, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), has launched project ‘Early Life’ in Karnataka.

The ‘C-CAMP-Infosys Foundation Project Early Life’ initiative aims to improve healthcare services for pregnant women and infants in the state. 

Sharing thoughts, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Health Minister, Karnataka, said, "Improving maternal and newborn healthcare in the districts is a very important priority for us. We will start with Dharwad and Ballari and cover eight districts to strengthen health monitoring for all mothers and quality care to newborns requiring critical care support."

This move aligns with the government’s aim to bolster maternity care for expectant mothers and newborns in the state.

Investment in Maternal & Newborn Healthcare

The project, which received an investment of INR 8.5 Cr from Infosys Foundation, is expected to benefit approximately 50,000 to one Lakh women and 4,000 newborns across eight districts in Karnataka over four years. 

The project was launched during the Government of Karnataka's roundtable on health titled ‘A new paradigm with CSR and philanthropy,’ It also saw support from various stakeholders.

Commenting on the project, Sunil Kumar Dhareshwar, trustee, Infosys Foundation, said, "Maternity care has been a key area of focus for Infosys Foundation within the healthcare space. The Early Life project would give impetus to adopting innovative maternal and child care technologies."

Recent Collaborations in the Healthcare Space

In related developments, Thermo Fisher Scientific, a prominent scientific services company, has partnered with C-CAMP to establish a Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. This collaborative effort aims to serve as a hub for innovation in the biotechnology sector, offering researchers the infrastructure and expertise necessary for breakthroughs.

Under this partnership, C-CAMP will provide the infrastructure for the Centre of Excellence, while Thermo Fisher Scientific will equip it with state-of-the-art solutions in flow cytometry and molecular biology. Additionally, the company will extend research and training opportunities to scientists associated with startups, academic institutions, and biopharma organizations affiliated with C-CAMP.

C-CAMP has also been actively involved in fostering innovation in healthcare beyond Karnataka. Through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Medical Education & Research Department (ME&RD), Government of Assam, C-CAMP aims to strengthen public health infrastructure and promote technology adoption among healthcare practitioners. This collaboration seeks to improve early screening and detection of retinopathy of prematurity, a common eye disease affecting premature babies and newborns.

Furthermore, in a joint effort with the SBI Foundation, C-CAMP addresses the escalating concern of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The collaboration aims to establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) focused on AMR innovation, providing support systems and frameworks to nurture indigenous deep science startups in this critical area.

Established in 2009, C-CAMP has emerged as a vital initiative of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science, Technology, and Earth Sciences, Government of India. Serving as a life sciences innovation hub, C-CAMP facilitates collaboration between academia, industry, and the startup ecosystem.