The National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) has on Tuesday announced the launch of the ‘Rohini Nilekani Centre for Brain and Mind’, a centre dedicated to advancing Indian research and practice pertaining to neurodevelopmental disorders and mental health.
According to a press statement, the centre will focus on the long-term examination of environmental and genetic factors involved in brain development which underlies severe mental illnesses.
Rohini Nilekani, Chairperson – Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, unveiled the plaque to mark the inauguration of ‘the Center for Brain and Mind’ today in the NCBS campus in Bengaluru. The guests present included Prof. K. VijayRaghavan – DAE Homi Bhabha Chair, NCBS-TIFR, Prof. Sanjeev Jain – Emeritus Professor, NIMHANS, Prof. Mahendra Rao – Former Collaborative Science Chair, inStem & CEO, Implant Therapeutics, and Prof. Maneesha Inamdar – Director inStem.
The centre will support research through its partnership with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) and NCBS’ therapeutic practices pertaining to five mental disorders: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and dementia– conditions considered neurodevelopmental in origin.
“The research work of the centre will combine the molecular biological research capabilities and technologies at NCBS with the stem cell capabilities established at the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem-DBT), an autonomous institution under the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India.
inStem has been and will continue to partner with NCBS on research activities, including that of the Accelerator program for Discovery in Brain disorders using Stem cells (ADBS).
“India has a significant number of people, around 193 million, dealing with mental illness. The proportional contribution of mental disorders to the total disease burden in India had almost doubled since 1990, and this calls for urgent attention. ‘The Centre for Brain and Mind’ will attempt to address this challenge by driving interdisciplinary research to understand the complexities of brain and mind conditions. More Research originating from India is critical at this juncture. The
collaboration between NCBS and NIMHANS will provide globally relevant insights, evidence and pathways for better treatment for millions of people in India and the world. I hope medical practitioners, decision-makers and researchers will join the community and co-create success for this endeavour,” Rohini Nilekani, Chairperson of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, said in a statement.
