USA, UK, Ireland scientists partner with Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ)

The meeting discussed healthcare innovations in orthopedic and dental applications

The Kalam Institute of Health Technology (KIHT), at the AP MedTech Zone, Visakhapatnam hosted an annual review meeting of the Translational Centre of Excellence in Biomaterials for Orthopedic and Dental Applications on December 22, 2018. This also earmarked the second meeting of the Bio-Medical Implants and Materials Mission (BIM). Supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, KIHT, IISc Centre of Excellence and the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation, this event showcased inventions in health technology across the country which are ready for industrial uptake.

The meeting discussed healthcare innovations in orthopedic and dental applications, their research, manufacturing and clinical applicability in the Indian healthcare context. Aspects of detailed intense knowledge on designs, applicability, compatibility with living systems, non-contamination attribute, antimicrobial sterilisation needs etc. were also put into perspective. Annual meeting of the “Translational Centre of Excellence and Bio Implants mission” at Kalam Convention Centre – AMTZ, the Med Tech Capital of India. Curam Centre-Ireland; Georgia Tech- USA; Made Centre- South Carolina; Wyss Institute- Harvard; Tata Steel new material centre; IIT Roorkee; PSG institute – Coimbatore; Sree Chitra – Trivandrum; IISc – Bangalore; CIPET- Chennai; CGCRI-Kolkata along with several industrial partners participated. To innovate biomaterials and implants through knowledge convergence.

Stakeholders from various reputed institutions like IITs, NITs, IISc, VIT, National labs, MSME manufacturers, large scale manufacturers like Tata Steel New Materials Business, Smith and Nephew and Stryker participated in the meeting hosted at AMTZ. A host of key medical implant manufacturing entities also joined the event to finalise the ecosystem for academia and industry collaboration.

In his opening remarks and welcome address, Dr Jitendar Sharma, MD and CEO, AMTZ shared the role of AMTZ and KIHT in bringing the bio-materials community together and how the entire ecosystem can promote indigenous products researched at Indian institutions of merit.

Further, speaking on the occasion Prof Bikramjit Basu, Professor of the Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science and Principal Investigator of the Translational Centre of Excellence explained the urgent need of the hour in this discipline of science. Prof Basu is instrumental in leading the Academic Consortium of the BIM on a mission mode. Several centres of excellence mentoring committee members and co-investigators presented their research and experience in the field of biomedical materials research. Industry representatives presented and participated in the discussion. The meeting concluded with a session for internal discussion and recommendations by the mentoring committee, which is a global committee with distinguished researchers from Ireland, USA and UK.