Sree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Research Grants
We at SreePVF have a vision for the betterment of humanity, and we recognize that in addition to the government, Private Foundations and Trusts should also support research and technology through grants. In 2019, we established the Sree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Research Grant, which is arguably the first of its kind in India.
As part of our commitment to supporting ground-breaking research, we offer one three-year research grant (of up to Rs. 3 crores) each year in Biomedical Sciences, for individuals and groups engaged in “bench to bedside” translational research. We are proud to have supported some of the most innovative and promising researchers in this field.
In 2021, we expanded our grant program to include agricultural sciences, with the constitution of a special call specifically for agricultural sciences. This new grant aims to support novel and sustainable solutions that benefit small and marginal farmers. It offers a grant of 50 lahks over two years.
At SreePVF, we are passionate about supporting research and innovation in a wide range of fields, and we are committed to making a real difference in the lives of people around the world.
Biomedical Sciences
The Sree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Research Grant in Biomedical Sciences was introduced in 2019, and has since completed two successful rounds of competition. Since 2020, the program has shifted its focus towards supporting “bench to bedside” translational research, which aims to bridge the gap between fundamental scientific discoveries and their application in clinical settings for the benefit of patients. This new approach reflects our commitment to funding innovative research projects with the potential to improve healthcare outcomes and advance medical knowledge.
A stringent selection process has been put in place to identify the awardees:
- Initial scrutiny for eligibility, remit and other grant specifications.
- Screening by the Selection Committee for external review based on the following criteria:
- Translational value of the proposed research, how soon can the translation benefit humans
- Novelty of the proposed work; does it enrich the field?
- Feasibility of the proposal based on the expertise of the PI and the collaborators
- Vigor and rigor of the proposed experiments
- Competitiveness with-in the cohort
- Value of the proposed research outcomes for betterment of human health
- Peer-review of selected applications by both national and international experts in the field.
- Interviews of short-listed candidates for final award
Selection Committee
A Committee of eminent scientists have been constituted to help the Foundation in reviewing the applications.
Chair: Professor D Balasubramanian, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad
Members of the Committee:
Professor Dipankar Chatterji, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore
Professor L S Shashidhara, Ashoka University, Sonepat.
Professor V Chandrasekhar,Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Hyderabad
Dr Ghanshyam Swarup, Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology , Hyderabad
Dr Gullapalli Nageswara Rao, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad
Dr Chadalawada Nageswara Rao, Sree PVF Foundation, Vijayawada
Dr Chadalawada Sudha, Sree PVF Foundation, Vijayawada
Secretary: Dr Ponnari Gottipati, Grants Manager, SreePVF Foundation
2019
Principal Investigator: Dr Vidita Vaidya, Tata Institute of fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai
Collaborator: Dr Ullas Kolthur-Seetharam, TIFR
Title: Modulation of mitochondrial metabolism within limbic brain regions following early life stress
Summary: Early adversity and trauma are major risk factors for an altered health trajectory, with enhanced risk for psychiatric diseases. This remains an important public health concern for India, and a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms that result in life-long changes in neural circuits following early stress has important preclinical and clinical implications. It is our expectation that through this work we will generate novel information on the essential role of specific aspects of mitochondrial metabolism and function in mediating the influence of early adversity in the development of increased risk for adult psychopathology and altered trajectories for age-associated dysfunction. We anticipate the identification of novel targets that are suitable for the development of therapeutic interventions (ranging from biotechnological, nutritional and pharmacological) designed to target mitochondrial pathways as novel ways to treat anxiety and depression, as well as with implications for aging-associated pathology.
2020
Principal Investigator: Dr. Vandana Sharma, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), Hyderabad
Collaborator: Dr. Mahati Chittem, Dr. Veenith N Balasubramanian (IITH)
Title: 3D Imaging based Vein Intrusion Guide System for Pediatric and Geriatric
Summary: We propose to demonstrate and commercialize the proof of concept of a novel 3D Vein Viewer module that not only images the peripheral vein mapping underneath the human skin but also determines the depth of the vein vessel from the top of the skin with micro-meter accuracy. The standard technique for peripheral IV Intra-Venous access involves a clinician using a tourniquet to engorge veins, followed by palpation to identify a suitable vein and finally insertion of the catheter needle. This often results in many cases of false trials and multiple needle penetrations into the body. Near Infrared Radiation NIR penetrates deeper into tissues a few centimeters and provides 2D images of the subcutaneous vascular network. The maximal likelihood estimate of the depth of is obtained through our recently patented technique of integration of Mie-Scattering with imaging. To account for physiological variations such as skin tone in the population, we also introduce an in-vivo optical coherence tomography (OCT) based mapping of the skin. A single compact, mobile device combining such state-of-the-art optical technologies forms our proposed vein locator which would aid medical staff in reducing the bruising and damaging among patients especially among infants and the aged during IV therapy.
For Biomedical Research
Agricultural Sciences
In 2021, SreePVF expanded the Sree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Research Grant to include the agricultural sciences. The grant aims to provide last-mile funding for novel and sustainable solutions that benefit small and marginal farmers in India. The grant program offers up to Rs. 50 lakh to researchers for a maximum duration of two years. Through this grant, SreePVF seeks to support innovative research proposals that can make a positive impact on the farming community and help address the challenges faced by farmers in India.
The major criteria for evaluation of the project proposals is scientific novelty and innovation, readiness to deploy solutions for small and marginal farming community at the end of project duration, sustainable solution(s) featuring innovation, relevance to farming community, cost effectiveness and easy accessibility.
All submitted project proposals are screened for shortlisting in a two-step process.
- Each proposal is evaluated by at least two Committee Members for in-depth evaluation
- The major criteria for primary screening are-
- Scientific novelty
- Utility to farmers including cost of deployment
- Readiness level of technology for deployment upon project completion
- Reasonability of time line
- Expertise of applicant for fulfilling project objectives as well as reasonability of budget
- Green technology.
- The major criteria for primary screening are-
- Interview of Short-listed proposals for final award
Review Committee
Five eminent scientists from the field of Agriculture in India constitute the review Committee
Chair:
Dr Ramesh V. Sonti, J. C. Bose fellow at CSIR-CCMB; former Director, National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi
Members:
Dr L. Shashidhara, Distinguished Professor, Ashoka University, Sonpet; Professor, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune
Dr Alok Kalra, Former Chief Scientist and Acting Director (now Consultant), Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants, P.O. (CIMAP), Lucknow
Dr Navin Sharma, Director, International Agriculture Consulting Group; Former Head, Resources and Planning at Bangalore Life Science Cluster; Former Director, World Agroforestry Centre (Nairobi); Formerly at Unilever and ITC
Dr M. Sujatha, Director (A), ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad
Staff:
Coordinator and Communication – Dr Amit Das, Startup Cofounder, former Scientist at DuPont Knowledge Center, Hyderabad
Online presentation logistic – Dr Shilpa Jain, Consultant, Pune Knowledge Cluster
2019
Principal Investigator: Dr Vidita Vaidya, Tata Institute of fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai
Collaborator: Dr Ullas Kolthur-Seetharam, TIFR
Title: Modulation of mitochondrial metabolism within limbic brain regions following early life stress
Summary: Early adversity and trauma are major risk factors for an altered health trajectory, with enhanced risk for psychiatric diseases. This remains an important public health concern for India, and a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms that result in life-long changes in neural circuits following early stress has important preclinical and clinical implications. It is our expectation that through this work we will generate novel information on the essential role of specific aspects of mitochondrial metabolism and function in mediating the influence of early adversity in the development of increased risk for adult psychopathology and altered trajectories for age-associated dysfunction. We anticipate the identification of novel targets that are suitable for the development of therapeutic interventions (ranging from biotechnological, nutritional and pharmacological) designed to target mitochondrial pathways as novel ways to treat anxiety and depression, as well as with implications for aging-associated pathology.
2020
Principal Investigator: Dr. Vandana Sharma, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), Hyderabad
Collaborator: Dr. Mahati Chittem, Dr. Veenith N Balasubramanian (IITH)
Title: 3D Imaging based Vein Intrusion Guide System for Pediatric and Geriatric
Summary: We propose to demonstrate and commercialize the proof of concept of a novel 3D Vein Viewer module that not only images the peripheral vein mapping underneath the human skin but also determines the depth of the vein vessel from the top of the skin with micro-meter accuracy. The standard technique for peripheral IV Intra-Venous access involves a clinician using a tourniquet to engorge veins, followed by palpation to identify a suitable vein and finally insertion of the catheter needle. This often results in many cases of false trials and multiple needle penetrations into the body. Near Infrared Radiation NIR penetrates deeper into tissues a few centimeters and provides 2D images of the subcutaneous vascular network. The maximal likelihood estimate of the depth of is obtained through our recently patented technique of integration of Mie-Scattering with imaging. To account for physiological variations such as skin tone in the population, we also introduce an in-vivo optical coherence tomography (OCT) based mapping of the skin. A single compact, mobile device combining such state-of-the-art optical technologies forms our proposed vein locator which would aid medical staff in reducing the bruising and damaging among patients especially among infants and the aged during IV therapy.
For Agriculture