Hyderabad, 15th May 2025: Sri Sai College of Dental Surgery, Vikarabad, has taken a pioneering step in nurturing a research-oriented mindset among dental students right from their first year of professional education. As part of the institution’s commitment to academic excellence, various initiatives, collaborations and in-house research schemes have been introduced to encourage early engagement in scientific inquiry.
The SSCDS Research Committee hosted a significant event titled “Fostering a Culture of Research and Innovation” on 13th May 2025, featuring Professor P. Reddanna, Senior Professor (Rtd.) from the School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, as the keynote speaker.
Professor Reddanna, who also serves as the Executive President of the Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) and Founder Director of ASPIRE, delivered a compelling presentation on “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Academic Institutions: University of Hyderabad as a Case Study,” with special emphasis on pharmaceutical innovation in India.
Highlighting the critical need for innovative drug development in India, Prof. Reddanna noted that despite India’s strong manufacturing capabilities, its share in the global healthcare market remains at only 0.64% ($638 billion out of a $10 trillion global market). “This modest representation stems from the industry’s predominant focus on generics and biosimilars—high-volume but low-value products,” he explained, urging a strategic shift toward innovation-driven drug development.
Prof. Reddanna showcased recent success stories in Indian pharmaceutical innovation, including indigenous COVID-19 vaccines (Covaxin, ZyCov-D, GEMCOVAC-OM), novel antibiotics (Exblifeb), biologics, and advanced cell therapies like CAR-T cell treatments developed by ImmunoAct and Laurus Labs. These developments demonstrate India’s growing capabilities in creating innovative therapeutic solutions.
The presentation highlighted the University of Hyderabad’s ASPIRE initiative as a model for fostering pharmaceutical innovation, having ed nearly 80 startups with 20 founded by faculty, students, and alumni. Through ASPIRE’s three specialized incubation centers, entrepreneurs receive comprehensive from ideation to commercialization, significantly reducing barriers to entry in the challenging field of drug development.
“Education systems must be attuned to the global environment by promoting creativity and improving the quality of education and training at all levels,” Prof. Reddanna emphasized, noting the critical role of academia-industry collaboration in building India’s pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem.
Dr. Nagarjuna Reddy Aculate presented the second lecture focusing on oral cancer management from an Indian population perspective. He provided a comprehensive overview of fundamentals while emphasizing the critical importance of biopsy in precancerous lesions for early diagnosis, potentially improving treatment outcomes significantly. Dr. Jagadeesh Gandla delivered the third presentation on “Personal Branding and Soft Skills in the Modern Age,” beginning with an introduction to FABA’s mission of fostering innovation through biotech entrepreneurship, stakeholder unification, cross-border collaboration, and sector protection.
Dr. Jagadeesh, highlighted that the event was organized under FABA Academy, an initiative launched in 2020 to empower life sciences students, and mentioned FABA’s entrepreneurship program “WHALE TANK,” with BIRAC serving as a primary funding source for such ventures.
His presentation explored multiple facets of personal branding, including brand identity, communication excellence, strategic networking, and digital presence, ed by compelling statistics that engaged students. He contextualized these concepts through dental practice scenarios, emphasizing unique value propositions, consistent reputation, and the importance of first impressions.
Dr. Jagadeesh also addressed the crucial role of soft skills—described as “hidden clinic superpowers” in career advancement, team excellence, and patient satisfaction. The session concluded with interactive activities including SWOT analysis and elevator pitch exercises, fostering meaningful discussion among participants.
The event exemplified the productive collaboration between SSCDS Research Committee and FABA, showcasing how industry-academic partnerships can deliver multidimensional professional development combining insights on innovation ecosystems, clinical expertise, and essential soft skills for future healthcare professionals.