India’s First Bioengineering Center for Lung Health Launched at IIT Hyderabad

The centre will focus on developing novel, non-invasive diagnostic tools, advanced disease models, and personalised therapeutic approaches.

India has taken a significant step in biomedical and bioengineering research with the launch of its first Bioengineering Centre of Excellence for Lung Health at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad, established in collaboration with Germany’s Institute for Lung Health (ILH).

The new facility has been created in response to rising respiratory health challenges in India and globally, including pollution-linked illnesses and chronic lung diseases.

“Accurate assessment of lung and heart function is still a major challenge, especially in chronic and pollution-linked illnesses,” a researcher associated with the initiative said. Addressing these limitations, the centre will focus on developing novel, non-invasive diagnostic tools, advanced disease models, and personalised therapeutic approaches.

By combining India’s strengths in bioengineering with Germany’s clinical expertise, the centre aims to close long-standing gaps in how lung and cardiac functions are assessed, monitored, and treated.

The ILH-IITH Bioengineering Centre of Excellence is jointly led by Renu John of IIT Hyderabad and Soni Savai Pullamsetti of the Institute for Lung Health, Germany.

Designed as a platform for sustained international collaboration, the centre will support joint research projects, researcher exchange programmes, and advanced training initiatives in biomedical science and bioengineering.

Drawing on IIT Hyderabad’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, the centre will integrate expertise across biomechanics, biomaterials, nanobiotechnology, computational biology, microfluidics, and advanced imaging.

These capabilities are expected to support real-time disease monitoring and modelling, enabling earlier diagnosis and more precise treatment strategies for complex lung and cardiopulmonary conditions.

Werner Seeger, Director of the Institute for Lung Health and Chairman of the German Centre for Lung Diseases, said, “The idea is to bring engineering and medicine together to improve how we understand and treat lung and vascular diseases.”

He added that the partnership is designed to accelerate discovery while training the next generation of lung health researchers and engineers.

IIT Hyderabad Director Prof B S Murty said the initiative reflects the institute’s commitment to addressing complex public health challenges through interdisciplinary and international collaboration.

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