IIT Kanpur and KGMU Lucknow jointly launched SIB-SHInE programme

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and King George’s Medical University (KGMU) Lucknow have announced the list of nine students for the inaugural batch of the DBT School of International Biodesign-Synergizing Healthcare Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SIB-SHInE) fellowship programme to boost India’s self-reliance in health-tech innovations and to continue strong on the “Make in India” mission. These students will concentrate on building indigenous MedTech gadgets and systems to improve India’s healthcare ecosystem. The SIB-SHInE program will begin on September 1st 2022.

SIB-SHInE program is a year-long full-time residential fellowship program focused on developing the next generation of biomedical entrepreneurs. The goal is to build a dynamic ecosystem that will find and foster the next generation of biodesign innovators in developing innovative and accessible solutions for the globe.

The curriculum is built on the 4Cs idea of Clinical Immersion, Conception, Creation, and Corroboration. In the program’s first three months, the selected nine innovation enthusiasts will scout major biological problems by following physicians, nurses, and patients at KGMU Lucknow, which will form the Clinical Immersion portion. The final three stages will be completed at IIT Kanpur.

When the fellows arrive at the IIT Kanpur campus, they will go through the Conception stage, where the conceptual foundation will be built based on the stated challenges. The fellows will be directed to construct prototypes based on the results during the Creation stage. This will be followed by the third stage, Corroboration, in which the prototypes will undergo clinical trials to determine efficacy.

To mentor the SIB-SHInE fellows, IIT Kanpur and KGMU, Lucknow, have recruited professionals from their respective academic departments, SIIC IIT Kanpur, premier hospitals, and the MedTech industry. The two institutions intend to develop an army of skilled biomedical entrepreneurs to enrich our country’s healthcare system through rigorous training and mentorship modules on key areas such as Clinical and Engineering Basics of Biodesign, Design Thinking, Indian Healthcare System, IP Strategies, Legal, Regulatory Strategies, Quality Affairs, Affordability of Biomedical Innovations, Startup Formation, and Entrepreneurship.

This program also aims to influence the worldwide medical device industry by encouraging the creation of India-specific, internationally relevant medical products, which will have a long-term impact on the global medical device market. This is consistent with the Government of India’s “Make in India” and “Start-Up India” efforts.

The SIB-SHInE initiative is funded by the Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology. It was released on July 6 and attracted a flood of applications. After the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and The All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Delhi, IIT Kanpur and KGMU Lucknow are the second group of universities to establish this curriculum.