In the presence of the US Consul General, IT Madras opens the Diabetes Research Centre with funding from distinguished alumni.

The “Shankar Centre of Excellence for Diabetes Research” will propel the field’s progress and provide cutting-edge tools to tackle the most urgent issues in the treatment of diabetes.

INN/Chennai, @Infodeaofficial

A new research centre on diabetes has been established at IIT Madras with the goal of advancing diabetes research and creating cutting-edge technology to tackle the most urgent problems in diabetes management and related complications.

Mr. Subramonian Shankar, a 1971 B.Tech Electrical Engineering graduate and recipient of the IIT Madras Distinguished Alumnus Award, has generously donated funds to establish this centre.

In the presence of Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras; Mr. Chris Hodges, U.S. Consul General, Chennai; Mr. Subramonian Shankar, CEO and Founder, AmZetta Technologies, LLC; Prof. Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean-Designate (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IIT Madras; and other dignitaries, the “Shankar Centre of Excellence for Diabetic Research” (SCoEDR) was officially opened today, September 20, 2024, at the Department of Medical Sciences and Technology (DMST).

“The Shankar Centre of Excellence for Diabetic Research” has arrived at a very significant moment when we are constructing the Department of Medical Science and Technology,” Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, remarked during the opening event. The Department’s goal is to determine how technology can be used to either stop a sickness from occurring or to identify and treat an ailment fast. Given that diabetes is among the most common illnesses in the nation, the results of the collaborative effort that takes place in this centre of excellence will be extremely significant for both society and the country.

Mr. Chris Hodges, the U.S. Consul General in Chennai, gave the chief guest speech and remarked, “Every time I come here, it is astounding to see the amount of intellectual genius.” You are discussing the treatment of diabetes by separating factors in a difficult setting. It is encouraging to witness the collaboration of two influential organisations, IIT Madras and the Emory Global Diabetes Research Centre (EGDRC) at Emory University in the United States, and even more so to have individuals from the Indian diaspora in the country, such as Mr. Subramonian Shankar, spearheading such projects.

“I would like to see more research partnerships with American universities and see faculty and students from the United States conducting research here at IIT Madras,” Mr. Chris Hodges continued. This would be a chance to learn more about one another in addition to conducting additional research. Together with my team, I can introduce these academics and students to the research opportunities available in Chennai. We can also see start-ups emerge from IIT Madras and link them to the corporate world. I hope that these companies establish links with American companies. Business opportunities should be driven by academic research, in my opinion.

Over the next few years, the Centre will provide “Shankar Fellows” support to fifteen PhD students, allowing them to conduct cutting-edge research. In addition, the new Centre will support efforts to commercialise, initiate new ventures, and develop products with the goal of revolutionising diabetes care and treatment.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Subramonian Shankar, CEO and Founder of AmZetta Technologies, LLC and a distinguished alumnus of IIT Madras, said, “I learnt about an Emory University centre that was studying diabetes. I was drawn to this centre because, throughout my life, I have been drawn to research and development. It was also a research facility. Hundreds of papers were published annually by this centre, but they were all academic in nature and very few of them were applied to industry or to improve the state of human health. As a business owner, I proposed to the Centre that his work be used in the industry and offered to collaborate with him on this. My recommendations were accepted by Emory University.

“At the same time, as an alumni, I was visiting IIT Madras a few times,” Mr. Subramonian Shankar continued. IIT Madras’ emphasis on entrepreneurship and its approach to fostering start-ups through the Research Park and Incubation Cell really stood out to me. Therefore, I felt that bringing IIT Madras and Emory University together was the wisest course of action. The rest, as they say, is history. I learnt about the IIT Madras Department of Medical Sciences and Technology as well as the Institute’s entrepreneurial endeavours. It was all on paper the previous year. Everything is set up for this coming year. Much more is going to occur in the future based on the current course of events.

Mr. Subramonian Shankar continued, “I am confident that the outcomes are inevitable given the calibre of brains at IIT Madras and the calibre of research conducted at Emory. We will definitely witness excellent outcomes.

Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations at IIT Madras, expressed gratitude to Mr. Subramonian Shankar for his kind donation and stated, “The alumni community of IIT Madras has always stepped up to support the various research initiatives at the Institute.” We are appreciative of our distinguished alumnus awardee, Mr. Subramaniam Shankar, for his ongoing support of the institute, particularly in the establishment of the Shankar Centre of Excellence for Diabetes Research Centre.

SCoEDR formed a strategic alliance between IIT-Madras and the Emory Global Diabetes Research Centre (EGDRC) at Emory University in the United States as part of its goal. Through this partnership, the resources of both institutions in biomedical innovation and public health will be combined to enable cooperative research projects, knowledge exchange, and expertise sharing in diabetes research. The EGDRC is renowned for its innovative worldwide programs that use multidisciplinary research, teaching, and public health outreach to prevent and treat diabetes.

Speaking on the event was Dr. V. Mohan, Chairperson of Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre.

Prof. Boby George, Head of the Department of Medical Sciences and Technology at IIT Madras, emphasised the significance of the centre by saying, “This Centre marks a major milestone in our commitment to tackling one of the most pressing health issues in the world — diabetes.” We am convinced that the Shankar Centre of Excellence will leave a lasting mark on the worldwide battle against this illness via innovative research and smart partnerships.

“The kind support from our alumni has opened the door to a new era of innovation in diabetes research,” added Dr. Anubama Rajan, Head of the Shankar Centre of Excellence for Diabetic Research at IIT Madras. In addition to advancing our knowledge of diabetes, our goal at this institution is to close the knowledge gap between scholarly research and practical applications. To improve diabetes treatment globally, we are concentrating on creating global collaborations, promoting entrepreneurial endeavours, and creating transformative technology.

“The vision of the Department of Medical Sciences and Technology at IIT Madras is to integrate advanced scientific research with clinical practice to create impactful solutions for society,” stated Prof. Krishna Kumar, Institute Professor, IIT Madras. This goal is fully supported by the Shankar Centre of Excellence for Diabetic Research, which addresses one of the most important health issues of our time—diabetes—by fusing academic innovation with real-world application.