By The Hindu Bureau

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The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) and NIMHANS have partnered to establish a Centre for Bio-entrepreneurship in Neurosciences and Mental Health.

The initiative seeks to build an entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem at NIMHANS, fostering deep science-driven ventures in brain health and mental well-being. The MoU was signed on Monday by C-CAMP director-CEO Taslimarif Saiyed and NIMHANS director Pratima Murthy, in the presence of K. Vijay Raghavan, former Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

Silent health challenge

Dr. Saiyed noted that mental disorders remain a silent but pressing health challenge, often leading to diminished quality of life and, in some cases, loss of life.

“We aim to prevent this by working with NIMHANS to identify and support health-tech innovators in neurosciences and brain health. The vision is to create ground-level, scalable solutions that serve India and beyond. This Centre will jumpstart scientifically informed mental health technologies and encourage innovators to enter this largely untapped domain,” he said.

Strategic partnership

Calling the collaboration a “strategic alliance,” Dr. Murthy said it will drive cutting-edge research while addressing public health imperatives and industrial innovation needs.

“This partnership is a catalyst for clinical translation and neuro-medical technologies that align with India’s health priorities and economic goals,” she said.

By integrating NIMHANS’s clinical and research expertise with C-CAMP’s advanced technology platforms, the collaboration will contribute to India’s National Action Plans on health and neuroscience policy. The Centre will nurture scalable solutions to address pressing challenges while boosting growth in biotechnology and medical technology.

The proposed Centre will build entrepreneurship and incubation programmes, providing scientific and business mentorship for bio-entrepreneurs. It will also tap into mutual networks to unlock funding at early and growth stages, and facilitate connections with regulators, investors, business experts, and global agencies. The aim is to create a robust framework to accelerate product development and commercialisation.

Why it matters

India’s 2017 National Mental Health Survey found that 197.3 million people – roughly one in 10 citizens -were affected by mental disorders. Despite major strides in science and technology, mental health continues to face acute gaps, including a shortage of trained professionals and limited science-based solutions.

While consumer-facing lifestyle and wellness tools abound, few address mental health problems in depth. The NIMHANS–C-CAMP Centre aims to bridge this gap and is seeking support from the government and philanthropic organisations to launch its incubation programme.