IIT Roorkee and Kyoto University open joint-research lab in Japan with focus on healthy ageing

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee and Kyoto University have announce the inauguration of a joint research lab at Kyoto University, Japan. The lab namely, INitiative for INtelligent ChemBioInformatics (IN-CBI), has a focus on Healthy Ageing starting with Eye Vision in collaboration with Narayan Netrayalaya in India.

This joint initiative aims at performing transformational research and innovation combining areas of Biology, Chemistry, AI/ML, Water, and Dietary-habits. 

It is positioned as a premier programme to harness the power of advanced data science and artificial intelligence in tackling complex health, biological, and environmental challenges with respect to healthy aging. As a key driver in advancing IIT Roorkee’s vision of impactful, interdisciplinary research, to achieve sustainable development goals, this partnership represents IIT Roorkee’s role as a global leader in science and technology education.

Dr Nagahiro Minato, President of Kyoto University, underscored the importance of the partnership, stating “This collaboration with IIT Roorkee aligns with Kyoto University’s commitment to global academic and research excellence. By combining our strengths in the fields of chemistry and bioinformatics, IN-CBI will create a foundation for groundbreaking discoveries and lasting societal impact.”

R. Madhu Sudan, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Tokyo, said, “The establishment of the IN-CBI lab reflects the deepening India-Japan scientific partnership. It is heartwarming to note that two great institutions Kyoto University and IIT Roorkee have come together for furtherance of science and technology, complementing each other’s strengths.” He hoped that the establishment of this lab would serve as the first step in celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the formalisation of the India-Japan S&T partnership.

Prof. Ganesh Pandian Namasivayam, Head of this initiative, stated, “This first-of-its-kind on-site laboratory will leverage multidisciplinary expertise, drawing on Kyoto University’s strength in chemical and cellular biology and IIT Roorkee's advanced engineering resources, thus, developing knowledge-based tools for age-related diseases.”