Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Infosys, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) with the objective of developing a team of clinician-scientists proficient in translational laboratory research who will be able to bring their cross-disciplinary capabilities to bear on topical questions of cancer research in India.
According to the MoU, Rs. 5 crore will be provided towards corpus funding of the Infosys Foundation Fellowships along with Rs. 40 lakh towards the implementation of activities in 2016. A minimum of 2-5 young medical faculty members and oncology trainees of TMC will benefit from the endowment annually. The young trainees, identified as Infosys Fellows, will be trained at world renowned research institutions with whom the Centre has existing agreements. On their return, these individuals will be able to immediately put their research training into practice.
The Foundation acknowledges the excellent infrastructure and clinical material of TMC and its robust intramural program that supports research, and intends to support and build a team of young researchers invested in addressing India’s healthcare challenges.
Through the agreement, the Foundation will partner with TMC to fulfill their shared long-term goal of creating a cadre of clinician-scientists who will be able to undertake locally relevant innovative clinical research that will result in feasible and cost-effective treatments of common and unique Indian cancers.