The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) is receiving tremendous response from the scientific community for its Medical Innovation Fund which was instituted by this premier medical research body last year for accelerating the medical innovation in the country.

Against the five applications received last year, around 15 scientists have submitted their innovative projects for which they wanted fund from ICMR. In the first batch last year, the ICMR has already started funding two scientists from National Institute of Research & Reproductive Health (NIRRH), Mumbai.

In-charge for the Medical Innovation Fund, ICMR, Dr Muthuswamy said that the project is getting good response this year as the Council has already received around 15 projects from scientists from different parts of the country for funding their projects which may lead to new innovations in the scientific arena.

"For the first batch last year, we have received 4-5 projects and after screening we are funding two projects, both of them are scientists of NIRRH, Mumbai. For the second batch this year, we are getting good response as we have already received around 15 projects for funding", Dr Muthuswamy said. "The process of screening is going on for the second batch and the ICMR will fund all the viable projects. There is no limit to the fund", Dr Muthuswamy added.

The medical innovation fund was initiated by the ICMR last year to accelerate medical innovation in the country. The basic idea behind the scheme is that the creative ideas should not be wasted due to lack of funds. The scheme, which is open to only Council's scientists at present, will provide support to test and validate novel and highly creative ideas even if they have a high probability of failure.

The experiments if proved rewarding based on initial experience the scope of the scheme will be enlarged by inviting joint proposals between ICMR laboratories on one hand and other scientific institutions or universities on the other. The scheme is intended to be carried out at ICMR institutes where basic infrastructure already exists. Though the tenure of the project is normally two years, promising leads will be further supported, Dr Muthuswamy said.