The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will promote innovation and creativity in biomedical research among the Council's scientists under its Medical Innovation Fund scheme. The Council has invited proposals from its scientists for the novel creative ideas under the council's Medical Innovation Fund scheme 2012-13.

Some of the areas the research include new targets, new diagnostics, new diagnostic tools, non invasive measuring device, new separation techniques, development of new evaluation protocols, new in vitro-in vivo methods and any other area identified by ICMR scientist.

The ICMR launched the “Medical Innovation Fund” scheme to accelerate medical innovation through which support will be given to test and validate novel and highly creative ideas even if they have a high probability of failure. This scheme is open for support to only scientists from ICMR. 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.

Under the scheme, the Council invites proposals from ICMR laboratories either individually or jointly with other ICMR institutes under the Medical Innovation Fund for support from ICMR. These proposals are meant for pursuing hitherto unreported, novel ideas having far reaching scientific and medical implications. The scheme is for individuals or a group of collaborating scientists and is non transferable. The scheme is intended to be carried out by ICMR institutes where basic infrastructure already exists.

This scheme is not meant for institutional strengthening but for promoting institutional ideas. The scientist who has proposed the idea for pursuing shall be the principal investigator of the research proposal. A collaborator could be involved from the same or any other ICMR institute.

Any permanent employee from the scientific cadre/faculty members from ICMR can submit an idea in the form of a proposal either alone or in partnership with another ICMR laboratory. Such joint proposals shall be forwarded through the main collaborating ICMR laboratory.

The proposal for concept proof should be prepared for a duration of two-three years and it should be commercial-able within four-six years. The proposal should have relevance to the industry in relatively short time. Once concept has been proven a full project can be submitted to any of the funding agency. Projects are typically for testing these ideas within fund of Rs.10,00,000 each.