Research needs to be brought closer to Industry: Experts
Published: May 13, 2020
NEW DELHI, MAY 13, 2020: A day-long digital conference on Rebooting the Economy through Science, Technology, and Research Translations' (RESTART), organised on the occasion of National Technology Day, highlighted the importance of transformation of manufacturing companiespost-COVID 19 pandemic, collaborations and that Research should be brought closer to the Industry in overcoming the present challenge.
Experts at the session on ‘Medicines & Medical Technologies for better preparedness to face Pandemics' were of the opinion that the pandemic is a great opportunity for R&D and needs to be used for strengthening it. The COVID crisis has unfolded some of the best medical advancements and innovations in history like drug discovery, vaccines, and diagnostic tools, and other medical devices, as well as ways to preserve electronic health records. Experts pointed out how these medical innovations can be harnessed for better preparedness to face future pandemics.
Lead Healthcare experts from the U K Madhukar Bose explained that this pandemic has forced people to adopt new ways of primary care in the United Kingdom and said that now 90 percent interaction in the UK happen through digital channels. Dr. Suresh Jadhav, Executive Director, Serum Institute of India,said that it might take months or years to come back to pre-COVID-19 days and technologies needed to be reworked in order to live in the present situation. He added that technologies such as appropriate face masks and best practices like social distancing need to be made a part of life.
The session on ‘Advanced Materials' outlined that to tackle pandemics like COVID 19, research needs to quickly switch over from being capital intensive to knowledge-intensive and should be brought closer to industry. Dr Shekhar C Mande, Director General CSIR, pointed out thatthe strategy for CSIR is to shift from capital intensity to knowledge intensity of research, and we wish to become knowledge partners of many industries.
Speakers at the session agreed that the novel materials such as smart materials, special purpose alloys, engineering polymers & blends, graphene, composites, etc. will be the key to revamping the industry's product lines in the future.They described materials as the cornerstones for new-age technology solutions for complex functional problems. Research workers across the world are engaged in developing novel materials designed with specific properties and engineered to deliver focused functional requirements. Investment in such knowledge-based value-added materials will go a long way in accelerating the economic activities and ensuring an attractive return for the industry, they said.
