Industry-institute linkages must

CHANDIGARH: In order to give a leg up to R&D activity in the country, a synergy between institutes and industry is the need of the hour as research institutes strive for funds while the industry has emerged as the major end user of the research products.
Leading research institutes, including the Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) are now increasingly turning to private sector to take joint R&D projects.
As many as 400 companies both from India and abroad had tied up with the institute in the R&D sphere. The institute is taking up joint projects and sponsored projects with the private sector collaboration.
Speaking to Times News Network, Prof Goverdhan Mehta, director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), said, Under this initiative about eight major Indian companies came forward initially to set up joint research centres at the institute’s premises to carry out both basic and applied research. We are now working on joint projects in areas as diverse as bio-chemistry to electronics and communication.’’
The establishing of laboratories in collaboration with private companies is step towards establishing a science and technology park at the campus. Among the companies that have finalised their plans and signed agreements with IISc include Himachal Futuristic Communications Limited, Cadila, Bharat Biotech and Dorabji Tata Trust.
Similarly, the Mohali-based National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Niper) has also tied up with two leading companies for joint research in pharmaceuticals.
The institutes are, however, taking care to play it right from the word go especially in the areas of intellectual property rights.
‘‘We are being very clear on the IPR issue. We are making sure that we get the returns and the recognition for our contribution,’’ said Mehta. He, however, added that the private sector has been found wanting in support to the academia. ‘‘The Indian industry needs to do more for the academia,’’ he said.
He said that the academia too needed to take corrective steps at its end. Giving an example, he said that the quality of research in the universities had deteriorated over the year. ‘‘The university portfolio in R&D has shrunk and it a countrywide phenomenon. The universities are not making the kind contribution that they should have been making.’’
As corrective measures, he suggested the adoption of a three-pronged approach. He suggested creation of the right kind of infrastructure, attracting, nurturing and retaining quality human resources and providing the right kind of inputs for research activity. ‘‘The administrative structure at the moment is not suitable for R&D activity,’’ he said.
Earlier, delivering the foundation day lecture of the Niper, Mehta said that the there had been a paradigm shift in the drug development in the country in the last 10 years. He said that simple inputs could be used to synthesise complex molecules.
It is now conducting detailed biological evaluation of the molecules which are in the pre-clinical stage to ascertain the scope for further development. Niper director C L Kaul said that the institute plans to license the molecules for commercial production after the completion of the project.
Besides these Niper has also developed an in-vitro model of insulin resistance in skeletal muscles cell culture. It is now in the process of setting up a national faculty of bio-equivalence. Kaul said that the institute is now working on a World Bank project worth Rs 8.88 crore and had generated revenues of Rs 4.79 crore during 2003.