A Major Leap Toward AI-Driven Medical Imaging in India
In a bold move to revolutionize healthcare research and diagnostics, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, has announced a call for Letters of Interest (LoIs) to establish Image Informatic Centers across the country. This strategic initiative aims to develop India-centric imaging bio-banks that will serve as the foundation for AI-powered medical diagnostics and precision medicine.
The last date for LoI submission is 31st August 2025 via the DBT eProMIS portal.
🔍 Why This Matters
Imagine a future where advanced algorithms can screen X-rays and scans within seconds, even in remote villages, flagging life-threatening diseases long before symptoms show. With India’s diverse population and disease burden, building indigenous datasets is essential to ensure AI tools are accurate, inclusive, and effective.
Until now, most AI models in radiology and pathology have been trained on datasets from Western populations. But India’s unique clinicopathological profiles demand India-specific datasets. This initiative aims to correct that imbalance.
🧠 What Are Image Informatic Centers?
These centers will create comprehensive, annotated imaging bio-banks—databases of diagnostic images like MRI, CT scans, and pathology slides—linked with clinical, genetic, and lifestyle metadata. The images will be categorized across healthy and diseased states, enabling machine learning and AI tools to be developed with unprecedented accuracy.
The centers will:
- Collect and store high-quality medical images and associated clinical metadata
- Establish secure, accessible databases for researchers
- Enable AI-powered diagnostics for diseases like cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and neurological disorders
- Share all data publicly (with regulatory clearance) via national repositories like IBDC
- Focus on ethical compliance and data protection
💡 A Boost for AI in Healthcare
Medical imaging, powered by artificial intelligence and deep learning, holds the potential to transform diagnostics, triage, and treatment planning. AI can:
- Detect early signs of disease
- Offer decision support to physicians
- Make diagnosis accessible and affordable
- Enable faster, more accurate screening—especially for underserved populations
But the efficacy of AI tools hinges on the quality and diversity of the training data. With these new centers, India is poised to create world-class imaging datasets tailored to its population.
📌 Key Highlights of the DBT Call
- Target: Up to 10 multi-institutional projects in hub-and-spoke model
- Funding: Up to INR 15 Cr per project over 5 years
- Eligibility: Indian researchers at DSIR-recognized institutions (Govt/Private)
- Team Composition: Multidisciplinary – radiologists, oncologists, pathologists, AI/data scientists, etc.
- Mandatory: Open-access data sharing with national bio-repositories like IBDC
- Preference: Existing clinical datasets and hospital information systems
🛠️ What Should Proposals Include?
- Defined research goals and deliverables
- Clear dataset size (subjects, imaging types, modalities)
- Integration with existing medical IT systems (EMRs, PACS)
- Detailed annotation plans with expert-reviewed metadata
- Plans for sustainability and ethical compliance
- Use of open-source software is highly encouraged
💬 What the Experts Say
“This initiative is a landmark step for digital health and AI research in India,” said Dr. Richi V Mahajan, Scientist ‘D’ at DBT. “By bringing together clinicians, researchers, and technologists, we are building a foundation for diagnostics that are faster, smarter, and more accessible for every Indian.”
📝 Submit Your Interest
Researchers interested in contributing to this mission can submit their Letter of Interest by 31st August 2025 via:
🔗 https://dbtepromis.nic.in/LOIimageinformatics.aspx
📧 For queries:
Dr. Richi V Mahajan
Email: rv.mahajan@dbt.nic.in
Phone: 011-24363029
🧬 Final Word
As the world moves toward AI-powered medicine, India’s diversity offers an unmatched edge. With the Image Informatic Centers, DBT isn’t just supporting research—it’s enabling a data-driven healthcare revolution that can benefit millions.
For researchers, this is a golden opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge biomedical science with real-world impact.
Source: Call for Proposals
Stay tuned with BioPatrika for more updates on this transformative initiative.
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