NEW DELHI: In a bid to support researchers at every stage of their scientific journey, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched dedicated portals, which will offer handholding support ranging from biostatistical guidance and patent filing to providing access to advanced research infrastructure.
The portals, which will provide expert assistance in critical areas of need, have been launched with the aim to strengthen India’s scientific and research architecture.
The ICMR, which has unveiled the comprehensive suite of research support portals, said that the “goal is to empower the research community with the tools and mentorship required to translate innovative ideas into impactful healthcare solutions.”
Conceived as an integrated digital ecosystem, these portals are designed to streamline access to critical research resources, enhance efficiency, and foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, and innovation.
“This initiative marks a transformative step in empowering researchers, institutions, and stakeholders across the country, reaffirming ICMR’s commitment to building a future-ready, responsive, and globally competitive research ecosystem for India,” officials said. A total of six portals were launched.
The portal, MedTech Mitra, aims to foster development of affordable and accessible indigenous therapeutics, vaccines, medical devices/ In-Vitro Diagnostics and Assistive Technologies by providing strategic handholding support to MedTech innovators for clinical evaluation, regulatory facilitation and uptake of new products.
The portal was launched under the guidance of NITI Aayog in partnership with Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
A centralized platform, Patent Mitra, was also launched. It will support quality patent filing and strategic management of intellectual property. It provides expert assistance for protecting innovations developed under ICMR-supported projects.
The ICMR portal was launched under the guidance of NITI Aayog, in partnership with the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) and supported by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
The aim is to build a robust and dynamic ecosystem that promotes innovation within biomedical research by providing comprehensive Patent and Technology Transfer (TT) support to innovators at every stage of the patent lifecycle, with a vision to translate innovative research in the biomedical domain to practical solutions driving meaningful advancements in public health across India.
Also, the initiative aims to support strategic and quality patent filings for innovative biomedical research with a vision to advance patent protection and facilitate seamless technology transfer for societal impact.
Medical Shodhganga portal is a comprehensive repository of over 1400 Indian medical postgraduate thesis topics in 24 medical specialties developed with the National Medical Commission (NMC).
It assists students in selecting unique research titles. This was jointly developed by ICMR-Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and NMC with the help of selected national experts.
The ICMR Health Data Repository portal provides secure access to high-quality health research datasets for secondary analysis.
Researchers can query validated data to foster innovation while ensuring strict privacy and security.
The portal will also empower researchers by providing a centralised, secure, and accessible repository of high quality data sets, fostering innovation in medical research, and ensuring the integrity and privacy of data through robust verification processes.
“Our mission is to provide a robust and comprehensive platform for Indian researchers, enabling seamless access to high-quality health research data. By fostering collaboration, innovation, and data-driven insights, we aim to support transformative health research that improves the well-being and health outcomes of communities across India,” the portal stressed.
The IRISE portal enables external researchers to access state-of-the-art laboratory facilities within ICMR institutes.
Through an online booking system, users can utilise advanced equipment to further their R&D projects.