Dr . Taslimarif Saiyed is the CEO and Director of C-CAMP . His initial training has been in neurosciences , where he received his PhD from Max- Planck Institute for Brain Research , Germany and followed it up by postdoctoral training at University of California San Francisco ( UCSF ). Dr . Saiyed is an Adjunct Faculty at Indian Institute of Technology ( IIT ) Madras and also Amrita Institute - School of Biotechnology . He also heads the Discovery to Innovation Accelerator program at C-CAMP . He is actively involved in promoting innovation in lifescience and healthcare by supporting translation of discoveries to application , entrepreneurship and technology development .
Innovations played a major role in India ’ s pandemic response from diagnostics , vaccines , therapeutics , PPE , medical technology , digital technology and others .
This problem solving mindset has now permeated outside of healthcare as well . I now see an enhanced interest in building technology and innovating for larger societal impact . The key for the ecosystem would be to keep this momentum going post- COVID and not letting the pace and dynamism dip going forward .
Your mantra for sustaining the R & D momentum achieved during the pandemic ?
As a country we have traditionally shown innovative thinking , preparedness and scientific rigour during crisis . Unfortunately , this soundness of response hasn ’ t been consistent post crisis . We need to address this gap , learn lessons from what worked and what didn ’ t during crisis management and incorporate these learning systemically to initiate change .
Outlook for the R & D funding and policy within the biotech sector ?
The pandemic very clearly promoted a conducive environment for supporting R & D at national and state government levels as also in industry , non-governmental , corporate level . The momentum for change has been built now . What is required now is a 5-year booster plan in policy making levels to capitalize on the larger social consciousness and high emotions . A push incentive for innovation now will help consolidate the huge gains we have made nationwide in R & D during the pandemic .
Five technological trends that will define the Indian biotech R & D scenario in the next one decade ?
The five technological trends of future include diagnostics , cell therapy , immuno oncology , digital health , and synthetic biology .
From the perspective of IMTECH , the five technological trends that I see emerging in the near future include host-microbe directed strategies to reduce AMR footprint ; Bio-engineering & AI-based approaches for discovery of next generation drugs ; Genomics based personalized diagnostics , medicines and treatments of diseases ; Utilization of Indian traditional knowledge to develop and enrich diagnostics and therapeutics ; and Utilization of laboratory based fermentation products for ensuring sustained food security .
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BioVoiceNews | December 2022