The Hindu Business Line : Harvard expert mulls clinical research centre in Hyderabad

Diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer and those related to kidneys are on the rise in India, and call for specialised research that seeks to study the interplay of environment on the human cells, according to Dr Raghu Kalluri, associate professor of medicine at Harvard.

To address these issues and focus on contract research services and clinical trails he plans to establish a centre in Hyderabad.

The Director of Centre for Matrix Laboratory at Harvard Medical School, Dr Raghu Kalluri, said a group of experts based in the US and drawn from medicine, clinical research and academics is planning to set up a contract research centre that will address new areas, including stem cell research.

Speaking to Business Line during his visit to Hyderabad, Dr Kalluri, who was instrumental in creating more than half a dozen start-ups in the US, said the centre would take about a year to set up and would be funded through either venture capital or private equity and possibly have a local partner.

Dr Kalluri said stem cells have significant applications in the treatment of diseases, as they can potentially replace defective ones. Dialysis is not the solution for kidney failure, which is significantly high in the country. India has an estimated 650 nephrologists, who would find it difficult to tackle such a growing disease burden.

"The Hyderabad centre would have the capability to take up analysis and handle clinical trails too. This would be aided by a large talent pool looking for opportunities," he explained.

Dr Kalluri, whose Harvard centre takes up research on cancer, diabetes, stem cells and hypertension, believes that there is potential to bring in synergies between academia and what the industry seeks in terms of support.

Restrictions imposed on stem cells research by some governments are premature and studies point towards significant impact they can have on treatment. All one has to do is to conform to local regulations, he explained.