BHU secures Rs 15 crore ICMR grants for six biomedical research projects

Varanasi: Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has secured funding approval for six biomedical research projects under the NIRF specialised grant initiative of the Indian Council of Medical Research, an official statement said on Thursday. The awarded projects seek to target such critical national health priorities as early detection of gallbladder cancer, next-generation solutions for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis diagnostics, pediatric septic shock, and precision oncology for renal cell carcinoma.

The grants, totaling around 15 crore, will allow researchers to conduct cohort studies, clinical trials, multi-omics biomarker discovery, and state-of-the-art laboratory analyses across the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), the Institute of Science (IoS), and collaborating engineering departments, the statement said. "As part of our commitment to excellence in medical sciences and accessible healthcare, BHU is focusing on research while simultaneously strengthening its patient care infrastructure. Our aim is to translate scientific discoveries into better patient care," BHU Vice-Chancellor Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi said.

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Over the past six months alone, faculty members have submitted over 200 project proposals to various funding agencies, and outcomes for many are currently awaited. IMS Dean of Research Prof Manoj Pandey said that the University's approach towards groundbreaking research has the potential to enhance BHU's standing and contribute towards societal benefit. The institute's director, Prof SN Sankhwar, said, "Our clinicians and researchers are successfully bridging the gap between rigorous clinical excellence and advanced laboratory science." National Institutional Ranking Framework, or NIRF, is a ranking methodology introduced by the Centre in 2015.