IIT Bombay open to collaborations with J&K institutions for cancer research, climate studies

Suhail Bhat

Mumbai, Oct 9 Deputy Director for Finance, Infrastructure and Administration at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Prof. Ravindra Gudi, today said that the institute is open to collaborating with academic and research institutions in Jammu and Kashmir, including the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) in Awantipora, to develop innovations in early cancer detection, precision healthcare, climate research, and affordable treatment technologies.
Speaking to a delegation of journalists from Jammu and Kashmir who visited the IIT Bombay campus in Mumbai as part of the Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) media outreach tour, Prof. Gudi said the institute would “happily welcome” collaborations with centres such as the Watson Crick Centre for Microbiology at IUST and SKIMS. “We would be happy to explore such partnerships to develop effective and affordable therapies for Jammu and Kashmir, given the growing number of cancer cases being reported there,” he said.
Prof. Gudi noted that IIT Bombay’s expertise could also benefit the Himalayan region in areas such as glacier studies, hydrology, precision agriculture, and climate change. “Our Earth Sciences and Civil Engineering departments are conducting advanced research on glaciers and water systems, which can be shared with regions like Jammu and Kashmir that are highly sensitive to climate impacts,” he added.
He said IIT Bombay’s research in rural technology and sustainable agriculture includes the development of anti-hail shockwave guns to protect apple crops and high-accuracy weather prediction models used by Mumbai’s civic body for flood management, “innovations that could be adapted for Kashmir’s horticultural sector.”
Prof. Gudi further said the institute’s work under national missions such as Green Hydrogen, Semiconductors, Sustainable Agriculture, and Solar Energy could offer avenues for partnership with Jammu and Kashmir’s academic and research institutions. “We are committed to translating technology into solutions that address India’s societal and environmental challenges. If Jammu and Kashmir’s institutions, entrepreneurs, or government departments wish to collaborate, we will be happy to facilitate technology transfer and joint research,” he said.
Highlighting IIT Bombay’s achievements in healthcare, Prof. Gudi said the institute has developed a breakthrough in cancer treatment known as CAR-T Cell Therapy, a form of gene and cell therapy for certain blood cancers. “This is a technology developed in India for India, with global potential. While the therapy costs around Rs. 4 crore per patient globally, IIT Bombay’s version is available for about Rs. 26 lakh-less than one-tenth of the international cost,” he said.
Developed under the leadership of Dr. Rahul Purwar, the therapy has been approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and has treated nearly 200 patients, including an eight-year-old child with no signs of recurrence. It is being commercialised through a start-up named ImmunoACT, jointly developed with Tata Memorial Hospital and Laurus Labs.
A young researcher from Srinagar, who completed her PhD at IIT Bombay, said she and her supervisor have launched a biomedical start-up incubated at the institute’s Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE). “Our company is developing low-cost biomedical devices such as an indigenous blood cytometer for complete blood count and a blood viscosity measurement device to help detect sickle cell anaemia-a disease India aims to eliminate in the coming years,” she said.

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