Context:
Recently, IISc has launched a project called ‘Longevity India Initiative’ aimed at increasing the human health span and tackling the challenges associated with old age.
About the Initiative
- With an emphasis on encouraging healthy ageing throughout India, the program will make use of cutting-edge research to create treatments that can aid in the more effective management of age-related disorders.
- A large-scale clinical study has also been initiated by the project, involving physicians, industry, philanthropists, civil society, and researchers from various IISc departments.
- The initiative is focused on identifying early indicators of diseases, investigating ageing biomarkers, and further developing new technologies and therapies to tackle old age-related problems.
- MS Ramaiah Hospital and Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute have officially partnered to conduct a clinical study for identifying biomarkers of ageing.
- The initiative has received initial grant funding support from Prashanth Prakash, Founding Partner, Accel India.
Significance of initiative
- India’s ageing population is expected to reach 347 million by 2050, thus it is necessary to use technology to support the country’s elderly population, and make geriatric healthcare more accessible to our ageing population through such initiatives.
- Through fundamental and applied research, this project aims to deepen understanding of ageing and develop solutions that can improve quality of life.
- The initiative will leverage advanced research to develop interventions that can help manage age-related diseases more effectively, with an emphasis on promoting healthy ageing across India.
Why the study of ageing is important?
- Aging research is crucial because knowing the molecular causes of ageing may help prevent or anticipate age-related illnesses like diabetes and atherosclerosis, as well as enhance overall well-being.
- Given the changing demographics and growing elderly population, research on ageing can help in maintaining young physiology in old age.
- This demographic change has far-reaching socio-economic and political implications for people of all ages.
- The elderly also make valuable contributions to society, both material and non-material and younger generations benefit from their experience.
- Growing numbers of older persons and longer lifespans open up new possibilities for social and personal growth in society.
About IISc
- The Indian Institute of Science, located in the heart of Bangalore, is a premier research and education centre for science and engineering in the country.
- IISc was the brain child of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata who conceived it in 1896. For this he set up a provisional committee under the leadership of Burjorji Padshah to come up with a blueprint for the proposed university.
- Eventually, the IISc was established through a vesting order passed by the Indian Government in May 1909 on 371 acres of land donated by the Mysore Durbar.
- Since then, it has developed into a preeminent research and educational organization with over 2000 active researchers spanning nearly all of science and technology’s frontiers.
- It is regarded as one of the best and oldest centres of its kind in India and enjoys a prestigious reputation in the academic community worldwide.
- IISc is well known for its emphasis on research excellence, academic freedom, and the caliber of its staff and students.