SYNCHN 2025 Showcases THSTI's Vision to Drive India’s Global Health Innovation

The Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) has once again emerged as a beacon of India’s health innovation landscape, hosting the second edition of its flagship industry-business meet, SYNCHN 2025, at its NCR Biotech Science Cluster campus. The event drew an elite assembly of industry leaders, policymakers, funders, and academic experts, all aligned in a common mission—to accelerate India’s global leadership in translational health science and biomedical innovation.

SYNCHN 2025 was not just a networking event; it was a strategic confluence of vision and action, focused on building a collaborative ecosystem where health technologies can move efficiently from laboratory benches to the market.

Forging the Future: A Platform for Transformative Collaborations

Prof. Ganesan Karthikeyan, Executive Director of THSTI, opened the event by emphasizing the urgent need for multidisciplinary, large-scale collaborations to solve pressing health challenges. He called upon academia and industry to work hand in hand, asserting that THSTI is committed to fostering a dynamic ecosystem that nurtures scientific innovation and accelerates commercialization.

“SYNCHN is a call to action—where we align our strengths and build frameworks that make translational science both robust and globally impactful,” said Prof. Karthikeyan.

Translational Science in Action: Industry Collaborations Spotlighted

The session on “Insights into Translational Science” highlighted successful industry partnerships across vaccines, therapeutics, and microbiome research:

• Dr. Prabuddha Kundu of Premas Biotech reaffirmed India's potential as a global vaccine manufacturing hub, calling for continuous innovation in formulation and delivery.

• Dr. Sivakumar Natarajan of Miltenyi Biotec underscored the skills gap in Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) and the need for targeted training programs.

• Dr. Khalid of Panacea Biotec detailed collaborative efforts with THSTI on vaccine development under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative.

• Dr. Varun Sureja of Sundyota Numandis emphasized successful microbiome-based product commercialization, crediting THSTI’s efficient technology transfer mechanisms.

Strengthening India’s Bio-Infrastructure: TRF, MRC, and Biopark Initiatives

The “Expanding Capacities” session showcased THSTI’s Medical Research Centre (MRC) and the upcoming Translational Research Facility (TRF), designed to facilitate bench-to-biomanufacturing transitions.

THSTI also unveiled its vision for a world-class Biopark at the NCR Biotech Science Cluster, offering space and support for biopharma startups and scale-up operations. Dr. Catherine Rodrigues, THSTI’s Chief of Infrastructure Development, emphasized that these facilities are designed to support the entire lifecycle of medical product development, from proof-of-concept to GMP manufacturing.

The session closed with a compelling vision to co-create globally relevant solutions, reinforcing India's resolve to innovate for the world, not just for itself.

Debating Challenges and Charting Opportunities: Industry–Academia Synergy

A thought-provoking panel on “Challenges and Opportunities in Industry–Academia Collaboration” tackled issues of:

• Product pricing and affordability

• Licensing and technology transfer frameworks

• Institutional capacity for sustained R&D

Panelists called for policy alignment, transparent IP management, and institutional flexibility to meet the evolving needs of India's innovation ecosystem.

Government Perspective: A Call for Innovation-Led Growth

In a special address, Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Director General of Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), celebrated India's vaccine sovereignty and called on the industry to invest more aggressively in cutting-edge innovation.

“India’s strength lies in making healthcare affordable. Now we must complement that with a stronger pipeline of indigenous innovations that serve both Bharat and the world,” said Dr. Gokhale.

He highlighted the need to de-bottleneck agro-industrial complexities, fund early-stage innovation, and foster inclusive economic outcomes, particularly under the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

The Deep-Tech Ecosystem: Building Sustainable Bioeconomy Futures

A Fireside Chat with Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman of ANRF India stressed the need for quality collaborations to mature India’s deep-tech biotech ecosystem.

In the session on “National and Global Perspectives on Deep Tech Ecosystems,” participants deliberated on:

• Bridging the innovation–commercialization divide

• Strengthening public institution IP frameworks

• Supporting early-stage tech translation with risk-tolerant capital

Policy Outlook and India's Bioeconomy Vision

Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, joined the event virtually. He projected India’s bioeconomy to grow significantly by 2030, propelled by visionary policies like Bio-E3 (Biotech for Economic, Environmental, and Employment Growth).

He urged academia and industry to collaboratively build innovation ecosystems that not only create jobs but also address public health, climate resilience, and food security.

Youth Engagement and Future Frontiers

SYNCHN 2025 also hosted interactive sessions with students and young researchers, followed by a pitching forum for innovators. Theme-based breakout sessions enabled direct matchmaking between THSTI’s developers and potential industry collaborators, creating tangible partnership pathways.

The event closed with renewed commitment from all stakeholders to scale India's biotech and health innovation frontier, cementing THSTI’s position as a national anchor for translational research.

About THSTI

The Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) is an autonomous institute under BRIC, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. Located in the NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, THSTI is at the forefront of interdisciplinary, translational health science, focused on creating technologies and products that impact national and global health.