Partnership with IIT Madras to Accelerate Global Health Innovation
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) is partnering with LSU Health New Orleans (LSUHSC-NO) to advance global health through education, research, and technology-driven entrepreneurship programs. The agreement combines the strengths of LSUHSC-NO in clinical and translational research with IIT Madras’ leadership in engineering, informatics, and innovation. This partnership aims to expedite the development and deployment of new technologies, with a focus on closing healthcare gaps and enhancing global outcomes.
A Memorandum of Understanding towards this partnership was signed recently by Dr. Demetrius J. Porche, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, LSU Health Sciences Center; Lucio Miele, MD, Director LSU-LCMC Health Cancer Center, Department of Genetics, LSU Health Sciences Center; Prof. Raghunathan Rengaswamy, Dean (Global Engagement), IIT Madras; and Prof. Himanshu Sinha, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras.
“This collaboration supports our commitment to pursuing NCI (National Cancer Institute) Designation for the LSU-LCMC Health Cancer Center. By combining our clinical expertise with IIT Madras’ technology innovations, we are building a powerful mechanism to move discoveries from bench to bedside and improve health outcomes in Louisiana and worldwide,” said LSU Health New Orleans Chancellor Dr. Steve Nelson.
The collaboration blends LSU Health New Orleans’s robust research capabilities, including seven Centers of Excellence and NCI-designation efforts, with IIT Madras’ technology innovation to drive global health impact. Joint teams will lead genomic and health studies and develop scalable tools like AI-powered apps, affordable diagnostics, and smart medical devices. An exchange program will support student and faculty collaboration with new research and entrepreneurship efforts, expanding the partnership’s reach.
IIT Madras, ranked India’s top university for nine consecutive years, hosts one of Asia’s most active deep-tech ecosystems. Its Research Park supports more than 200 startups and offers over 1.2 million square feet of innovation space. Speaking about this collaboration, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “Bringing our technology-driven innovation together with LSU Health New Orleans’ research and clinical presence in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast establishes a pathway for translating ideas into global health solutions.”
This partnership aims to position LSUHSC-NO among the nation’s top 50 academic health centers by 2030, while enhancing IIT Madras’s global engagement in applied health research. Both institutions plan to expand into additional biomedical areas, deepening their global impact on health innovation.