IIT Kanpur’s School of Medical Research and Technology (SMRT) launches its flagship project Hridyantra, in collaboration with the country’s leading hospitals

Kanpur : IIT Kanpur, in collaboration with the nation’s leading hospitals, has launched Hridyantra – a project aimed at developing next-generation solutions for patients with end-stage heart failure. The project is a flagship program under IIT Kanpur’s upcoming School of Medical Research and Technology to develop the world’s most advanced Artificial Heart (Left Ventricular Assist device (LVAD)).
Cardiovascular diseases are amongst the leading cause of human deaths worldwide. A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or Artificial Heart is a pump that is used for patients with end-stage heart failure as a bridge or destination therapy. It is an implantable battery-operated, mechanical pump, which then helps the left ventricle (main pumping chamber of the heart) pump blood to the rest of the body.
Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur said, “IIT Kanpur is known for its pioneering role in launching high-impact projects in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation. With Hridyantra, we are moving another step forward in realizing our vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) by supporting indigenous talent with critical R&D support. The project will not only enrich the health ecosystem of the country, but will also lead the way in interdisciplinary biomedical research and innovation. This is our moonshot project, success of which will determine the journey ahead and will boost the morale of everyone involved.”
Prof. S. Ganesh, Deputy Director of IIT Kanpur and overall in-charge of SMRT said, “Hridyantra will pave the way for an interdisciplinary collaboration of engineering and medicine, backed by the technological and entrepreneurial expertise at IIT Kanpur and clinical expertise of the partner hospitals. We look forward to nurturing an exceptional cohort of young technical minds.”
SMRT, IIT Kanpur has created a task force that includes engineering faculty members from IIT Kanpur, industry experts from the USA, and clinical experts from Narayana Health, All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Delhi (AIIMS Delhi), Apollo, Fortis Healthcare, Medanta, KIMS, and UN Mehta Heart Institute. The project is being funded by Ms. Sudha Murty, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and the Indian Council of Medical Research. With Hridyantra, SMRT IIT Kanpur envisions to become a household name in clinical excellence and interdisciplinary biomedical research and innovation.
The process will commence with the deployment of a multi-disciplinary team of fellows who will undergo clinical immersion at Narayana Health Hospitals for understanding the clinical nuances associated with cardiac surgery. Upon completing their clinical immersion, fellows will move to IIT Kanpur to begin the product development process under the project.
The incubation centre of IIT Kanpur, Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), has successfully executed several product developments in mission mode. With leading research infrastructure at IIT Kanpur campus combined with industry experts and mentoring from the incubation centre, the project is expected to run on track and achieve its deliverable successfully.
The program is currently accepting applications until 30th January 2022, through the link – https://iitk-smrt-hridyantra.co.in/