Lucknow, Dec 27: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Space, and Atomic Energy, Dr Jitendra Singh on Wednesday emphasized the importance of early industry linkage for sustainable startups, stressing the need for Indian solutions for Indian problems and remedies for Indian diseases.
Addressing the academia, researchers and leaders from CSIR, DRDO, Medical, and Technical Institutes of Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow, Dr Jitendra highlighted the critical drug research projects underway at Indian institutes and CSIR laboratories. He said artificial intelligence coupled with young minds would transform the scenario with a stronger foundation for the blueprint ahead. India is emerging as a cost-effective startup country, urging stakeholders and startups to collaborate based on their needs, he added.
Regarding CDRI’s pipeline of drugs, the union minister stated India has a wide spectrum of unmet clinical needs with a heterogeneous distribution. He encouraged scientists to address these needs to develop solutions for India. The minister appreciated CDRI’s collaborative approach and emphasized the importance of institutions working together, including public-public and public-private collaboration.
Commenting on CDRI’s agreement for research and development with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, he stressed the significance of understanding what the industry wants and jointly developing products from the start. Dr Singh encouraged the integration of research across disciplines at the PhD level and highlighted the importance of seamless knowledge and data transfer from academia to partners for moving intellectual property from the lab to the market.
Dr Jitendra mentioned the ‘One Week One Lab’ (OWOL) initiative, where laboratories across the nation showcase their research outcomes, emphasizing the idea of making stakeholders realize what India has to offer. He suggested incorporating more young brains into CDRI to bring innovation and novelty in technology.
The union minister assured that there is no dearth of funds, and India is financially rich and rich in ideas and novelty. He cited successful stories in the vaccine and aroma missions and emphasized efforts to enable Indian farmers and the aroma industry to become global leaders.
During the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between SGPGIMS and CDRI, which is expected to create a greater connection between clinicians and researchers, leading to more impactful research and development. Scientists briefed the minister with a presentation during the event.
