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Sri Sai College of Dental Surgery, Vikarabad, has taken a pioneering step in nurturing a research-oriented mindset among dental students right from their first year of professional education. As part of the institution's commitment to academic excellence, various initiatives, collaborations and in-house research support schemes have been introduced to encourage early engagement in scientific inquiry.
The SSCDS Research Committee hosted an event titled ‘Fostering a Culture of Research and Innovation’ where Professor P. Reddanna, Senior Professor (Rtd.), School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, as the keynote speaker highlighted the critical need for innovative drug development in India, Prof. Reddanna noted that despite India's strong manufacturing capabilities, its share in the global healthcare market remains at only 0.64% or $638 billion out of a $10 trillion global market.
"This representation stems from the industry's predominant focus on generics and biosimilars high-volume but low-value products," he explained, urging a strategic shift toward innovation-driven drug development as the key note speaker.
Prof. Reddanna who also serves as the executive president of the Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) and founder director of ASPIRE showcased recent success stories in Indian pharmaceutical innovation, including indigenous Covid-19 vaccines (Covaxin, ZyCov-D, GEMCOVAC-OM), novel antibiotics (Exblifeb), biologics, and advanced cell therapies like CAR-T cell treatments developed by ImmunoAct and Laurus Labs. These developments demonstrate India's growing capabilities in creating innovative therapeutic solutions.
The presentation highlighted the University of Hyderabad's ASPIRE initiative as a model for fostering pharmaceutical innovation, having supported nearly 80 startups with 20 founded by faculty, students, and alumni. Through ASPIRE's three specialized incubation centres, entrepreneurs receive comprehensive support from ideation to commercialization, significantly reducing barriers to entry in the challenging field of drug development.
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