Biomarker-based biosensors

The onset of telemedicine across the country has given patients in India’s hinterland access to specialists who may have been inaccessible otherwise. Improved connectivity and digitisation of tests such as X-rays have helped this network grow However, to make a transformative impact, India needs to embrace technology beyond silos such as telemedicine, to deliver quality healthcare to its billion-plus people.

These initiatives can go from cutting-edge innovation to detecting dangerous diseases such as TB and several types of cancer faster and cheaper, all the way to rethinking the way medicines and medical aids are produced.

Consider the case of breakthrough research led by Dr. Renu John, Professor & Head of the Department, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, which led to the development of biomarker-based biosensors that can detect heart ailments in minutes compared to hours or days) and cheaper than existing tests