IIT Kanpur and KGMU Lucknow have jointly launched the School of International Biodesign – Synergizing Healthcare Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SIB-SHInE). This year-long program of permanent residential fellowships aims to create the next generation of biomedical entrepreneurs. The program also envisages impacting the global medical device market by promoting the development of India-specific, globally relevant medical devices.
All selected scholars will be awarded a monthly scholarship of 60,000 dinars.
Experts in biodesign and clinical innovation, medical technology development, entrepreneurship and financial management make up the leadership of the SIB SHINE program. Fellows will receive curated instruction and mentoring from experts throughout the program.
The program offers opportunities for young minds to become biomedical entrepreneurs and start their own venture, with a highly rewarding living allowance and access to global MedTech industry mentors.
Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur said, “At IIT Kanpur, there has been a significant acceleration in research and innovation in the field of MedTech. Our goal is to enrich our nation’s healthcare ecosystem with indigenous and low-cost MedTech devices and services. This SIB SHINE Scholarship sponsored by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is essential in this regard. The fellowship will not only further explore and innovate in the MedTech domain, but most importantly pave the way forward in realizing our vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat by supporting indigenous talent with critical R&D and entrepreneurship support.”
Prof. Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, IIT Kanpur, and Principal Faculty, SIB SHInE, said, “Healthcare professionals use a wide variety of engineered products. They know what to use, but they may not know how to make it. Engineers, on the other hand, know how to make engineered products, but they don’t necessarily know what to make. The SIB-SHINE program of IIT Kanpur and KGMU will bridge this gap and can potentially change the way medical devices enter our hospitals.”
The program is based on the 4Cs philosophy, i.e. – clinical immersion, conception, creation and validation. According to IIT-K, the program will begin with the deployment of a multidisciplinary team of SIB SHINE fellows who will undergo clinical immersion at KGMU Lucknow. During clinical immersion, fellows will partner with physicians and identify various unmet clinical needs.
Upon completion of their clinical immersion, fellows will move to IIT Kanpur to begin prototype development for identified biomedical problems.
The program is sponsored by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India. IIT Kanpur and KGMU are the second set of institutes after IIT Delhi and AIIMS Delhi to launch this programme.
The program is currently accepting applications for the 2022-23 cohort until July 20. Candidates can visit the official website — http://www.sibshine.com — for more details.
