Hyundai, IIT Madras Launch Genomic Center to Advance Paediatric Cancer Care

Hyundai Motor India has allocated INR 56 Crore for the initiative, including an INR 3 Crore Cancer Care Fund to support economically disadvantaged patients.

Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), in partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), has launched ‘Hyundai Hope for Cancer’, an initiative aimed at advancing paediatric cancer care in India.

Central to the programme is the newly inaugurated Hyundai Center for Cancer Genomics at IIT Madras, Chennai, which houses the country’s first community-based Cancer Tissue Biobank.

The biobank will enable advanced genomic research in paediatric leukaemia and lymphoma.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, Government of India, inaugurated the center, stating, “The Hyundai Hope for Cancer initiative advances the goals of National Education Policy 2020 by fostering deep industry-academia partnership, translational research, and talent development in frontier areas of healthcare and genomics. By building an Indian childhood cancer genomic database, strengthening early detection and screening, and expanding access for underserved communities, this programme exemplifies ‘Sabka Prayas’ in action.”

Hyundai Motor India has allocated Rs 56 Crore for the initiative, including an INR 3 Crore Cancer Care Fund to support economically disadvantaged patients.

Over the next four years, the center plans to conduct more than 225 cancer awareness and screening camps across Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Maharashtra, screen 1.27 lakh individuals, and vaccinate over 5,000 girls against HPV.

Unsoo Kim, Managing Director, HMIL, said, “Guided by our global vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’, this initiative is about more than infrastructure. It is about healing, resilience, and giving every child a brighter tomorrow.”

Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, added, “This center will catalyse breakthrough studies in paediatric oncology, resulting in improved diagnostics and targeted treatments.”

The center will sequence more than 1,600 cancer samples for genomic research, provide free treatment to 30–50 children, upskill over 100 technicians in genomics, and deploy Mobile Medical Units to underserved regions.

This initiative aligns with Hyundai’s broader global programme for paediatric cancer care, aiming to expand early detection, research, and treatment access across India.

Stay tuned for more such updates on Digital Health News