~ The Centre will receive USD 5 million over five years to help translate research into healthcare technologies, products and solutions
Kanpur: The Wadhwani Innovation Centre for Life Sciences and Medical Technologies – a Centre of Excellence (CoE), has been established at IIT Kanpur to strengthen the translation of research into products and solutions for healthcare. The Centre will receive USD 5 million in funding over five years to support the development, validation and commercialisation of promising innovations across life sciences, biotechnology, medical technologies and AI-enabled healthcare services.
The inauguration took place in the presence of Dr. Upendra Kumar Singh, Director General, Defence Research and Development Organisation, New Delhi.
The new Centre will support high-potential research from areas like therapeutics, regenerative medicine and drug delivery to vaccines, medical devices and diagnostics. It will also focus on emerging fields like neurodegenerative diseases, mental health, antimicrobial resistance and AI-enabled healthcare. Building on IIT Kanpur’s research strengths, the Centre will help promising ideas move from the lab to real-world healthcare applications. It will support researchers through validation, IP and regulatory processes, while helping connect them with industry for technology transfer and commercialisation.
Speaking on the inauguration, Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT Kanpur, said, “I am delighted that IIT Kanpur is inaugurating the Wadhwani Innovation Network – Centre of Excellence (WIN-CoE), with the support of the Wadhwani Charitable Foundation. IIT Kanpur has a strong biomedical research ecosystem, with expertise in regenerative medicine, molecular medicine, neuroscience and artificial intelligence, as well as cutting-edge research in emerging areas of healthcare. WIN-CoE will build on this work by helping translate promising research into products through technology development and transfer, entrepreneurship and commercialisation.”
Dr. Shirshendu Mukherjee, Managing Director, Wadhwani Innovation Network said, “India has no shortage of breakthrough science. The opportunity is to build stronger pathways that take that science from the lab to the market. Through WIN, we are connecting researchers with the expertise, industry partnerships, capital and commercialization support needed to make that transition. The Wadhwani-IIT Kanpur Innovation Centre – Life Sciences is an important step towards building this capability at scale across India.”
Prof. Ashok Kumar, Professor; Biological Sciences and Bioengineering Department, IIT Kanpur and Professor in Charge WIN-COE IIT Kanpur, said, “At IIT Kanpur, we have always valued the pursuit of excellence in science and technology, and WIN-CoE provides an opportunity to take this commitment a step further by creating an environment where promising ideas can be nurtured beyond the boundaries of the laboratory. Through WIN-CoE, we hope to encourage researchers to think not only about scientific discovery, but also about the needs, challenges and applications that can shape the journey of an innovation.”
Prof. Santosh Misra, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences and Bioengineering Department, IIT Kanpur and Co-Professor in Charge, WIN-CoE, IIT Kanpur, said, “For a long time, med-tech innovation has been driven by laboratory research. IIT Kanpur is now bridging this gap by identifying clinical needs and connecting them with its engineers and scientists. By bringing together clinical needs, engineering expertise and modern technologies, WIN-CoE will strengthen this effort and help translate research into market-ready biomedical products and medical solutions.”
Following the inauguration, a one-day workshop on ‘Translational Research and Regulatory Pathways: Bridging Innovation to Healthcare Impact’ was organised. It brought together experts from regulatory agencies, academia, healthcare, industry and the innovation ecosystem to discuss the various steps involved in taking an innovation from the lab towards clinical validation, regulatory approval and eventually, into healthcare practice.
The Wadhwani–IIT Kanpur Innovation Centre is part of the Wadhwani Innovation Network (WIN), the Wadhwani Foundation’s flagship innovation initiative in India, which is building a national network of Innovation Centres to strengthen research translation and commercialisation.
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, established in 1959, is recognised as an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India. Renowned for excellence in science, engineering, and interdisciplinary education, IIT Kanpur spans a 1,050-acre lush green campus and comprises 20 departments, 27 centres, three interdisciplinary programmes, and three specialised schools. With over 570 faculty members and more than 9,500 students, the institute continues to lead in innovation, research, and holistic development.
