Param Hansa Philanthropies (PHP) has made a generous commitment to support the setting up of a Centre for Computational Oncology at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). The Centre was officially launched at a ceremony held on 2 November 2023. It marks a major leap forward in the quest to integrate cutting-edge computational methodologies with ground breaking cancer research.
The Param Hansa Centre for Computational Oncology (PHCCO) will foster research in predictive and quantitative mathematical models of cancer progression, metastasis, and tumor relapse, to identify the underlying fundamental dynamics of these multi-scale processes and to eventually improve patient outcomes in the clinic. The Centre aims to nurture an active community of future leaders in computational oncology in India, through inter-institutional, cross-disciplinary collaborations among researchers in academia, medicine, and industry. The Center will be led by Mohit Kumar Jolly, Associate Professor at the Department of Bioengineering, who heads the Cancer Systems Biology research group at IISc.
The partnership was facilitated through the IISc Foundation, a non-profit entity set up in the USA, to support research and infrastructure development at IISc. Param Hansa Philanthropies will support the Centre with USD 1 million over the next seven years.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Mr Dheeraj Pandey, Founding Director of PHP, said, “We, at Param Hansa Philanthropies, are delighted and proud today at the launch of this new initiative aimed at significant, long-term impact in the area of computational oncology, supporting IISc in its mission. We believe in utilising the power of science and data sciences to create deep, meaningful outcomes for cancer research in India and elsewhere. With this long-term collaboration with IISc, we look forward to contributing to the fight against cancer in India and elsewhere, and simultaneously building a cadre of young scientists who, over time, will make a significant contribution to research and training future researchers in this field.”
Prof Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc, said, “We are very grateful to Param Hansa Philanthropies for their generous contribution to support research in the emerging area of computational oncology. At IISc, we are constantly seeking to push frontiers in cutting-edge research and encourage cross-disciplinary partnerships that solve pressing clinical challenges. We look forward to the exciting projects and solutions that will emerge from this new Centre.”
About Param Hansa Philanthropies:
Param Hansa Philanthropies (PHP) is Dheeraj and Swapna Pandey’s private foundation in the USA. PHP aims to partner closely with universities and research organizations to foster efforts in the computing + life sciences space, support active development of scientific ideas that revolutionize new frontiers, and harness the power of tech to solve healthcare related problems and help create a better future for human society. PHP’s existing collaborations include partnerships with the University of Texas, Austin and Stanford University. PHP-India began operations recently with the launch of its office in Bengaluru, India, and the establishment of the Param Hansa Centre for Computational Oncology at IISc is its first India partnership. PHCCO, in partnership with IISc, is an outcome of PHP’s deep, long-term commitment to translational research at the intersection of healthcare and technology.
About IISc Foundation:Â
IISc Foundation is a platform to support IISc’s drive towards global excellence in engineering education and research. It is an IRS-approved tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit entity established and managed by volunteer IISc alumni to raise endowment funds for IISc from alumni, corporations, and foundations in the USA.
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