IIT Jodhpur, AIIMS Jodhpur develop novel medical technologies

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS Jodhpur) have developed prototypes of various medical technologies. These devices have been developed by students, fellows and faculty members studying in joint medtech programme.

IIT Jodhpur and AIIMS Jodhpur are offering joint programmes in medical technologies to students from engineering, medicine, nursing, bioengineering and allied fields. Some of the startups and technologies that emerged out of the joint MedTech programme have led to development of new syringe design, digitally designing maxillofacial prosthetics, device to correct nasal septal defect without surgery, 3D cell models for precision oncology, non-animal disease models for drugs/formulation testing, nanosensor technologies for early disease diagnosis.

Students studying in the joint programmes go through three phases – identify, invent and implement. In the last phase of implementation, the students earn biodesign fellowships, ‘Prayas’ grants and startup seed support to build small enterprises. The two institutes haven’t only created an ecosystem of innovation but have also incentivised promotion of converting deep-tech research into products and technologies.

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IIT Jodhpur director Santanu Chaudhary said, “Indian patients receive medical technologies that were created for the developed world and are now adapted for local needs. This method of introducing novel medical technologies in India needs significant improvement as it cannot capture the diverse needs of Indian patients. This collaboration is a step in that direction to bring about solutions to cater to Indian needs.”

The first-of-its-kind joint degree programme offered by IIT Jodhpur and AIIMS Jodhpur lets students identify needs from real-life problems and create deep-tech solutions, he added.