Researches that translated into real-world healthcare solutions were honoured on the PGIMER’s 11th Annual Research Day, which concluded on Saturday. The event featured nearly 400 top research publications from the past year, with 48 researchers recognised for, ‘top-rated research publications’ in surgical, medical, and basic sciences. Additionally, 40 researchers were honoured in the ‘innovations’ category for their ground-breaking contributions. A landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) was also signed between the PGIMER, Chandigarh, and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, to foster collaborative research with societal impact. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India and Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), was the chief guest. Sundar Swaminathan, Inaugural Chair, Department of Nephrology at IISc Bengaluru, was the guest of honour. Sood, renowned for his pioneering research in quantum materials and nanotechnology, emphasised the pivotal role of interdisciplinary research in his address themed, ‘Our Way Forward for the Techade: Opportunities and Challenges’. He emphasised that India is at the top of the technology pyramid. Addressing the gathering, Swaminathan, a distinguished nephrologist and bio-engineering expert, underscored the importance of “translational research” in bridging the gap between laboratory breakthroughs and clinical applications. An alumnus of the PGIMER, he lauded the institute’s research excellence, stating, “every doctor is inherently a researcher, but impactful discoveries require thinking beyond and above”. In his address, Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, stated, “despite our rigorous work schedules, research thrives at the PGIMER because it is ‘for the patient, with the patient, and by the patient’”. Sanjay Jain, Dean (Research), PGIMER, highlighted the institute’s research milestones, including securing Rs 109 crore in funding and executing 915 projects in 2023-2024. He noted that the Best Institutional Research Excellence Award 2024 at the DHR-ICMR Health Research Excellence Summit in New Delhi affirmed the institute’s leadership in medical innovation. During the Annual Research Day function, about 400 faculty members from various medical, surgical, and basic sciences departments presented their latest research findings through posters and oral presentations. The event featured 48 outstanding innovations, with several faculty members demonstrating prototypes and designs of their innovations. Many of these were hi-tech products designed for life-saving applications in operating rooms and intensive care units. Some of the innovations were related to cutting-edge technologies, including a novel method to generate neuronal cells from fibroblasts. This innovation by Dr Maryada Sharma has great potential in experimental neurological problems. Experts from Oral Health Sciences collaborated with ophthalmologists to create a user-friendly eye prosthesis imprinted with braille. Professor Anish Bhattacharya of the Nuclear Medicine Department described a novel method of radio-tagging white blood cells to detect infections. The event concluded with an awards ceremony wherein 48 researchers were conferred awards in the surgical, medical, and basic sciences fields for research publications and 40 researchers in the ‘innovations’ category. The awards were based on the H Index which measures both the productivity and citation impact of the publications. In the category of medical specialties, professor Ajay Kumar Duseja from the Department of Hepatology secured the first prize, followed by professor Shankar Prinja from Community Medicine and School of Public Health with the second prize, and professor Ritesh Agarwal from Pulmonary Medicine winning the third prize.
