In order to facilitate bilateral cooperation between the scientific communities of India and Germany by way of joint research projects, India and Germany will soon research in the national priority areas in health research and biomedical sciences.

The focus of this programme will be national priority areas in health research and biomedical sciences such as maternal & child health and paediatric diseases, with a special focus on adolescent health; effects of climate change on health; and research for a healthier life -- strategies for prevention, health promotion and nutrition.

Under the maternal & child health and paediatric diseases, with a special focus on adolescent health, the focus will be on burden of disease/event, biomarkers/diagnostics/process for early detection, improved treatment/management and addressing newer emerging areas of concern.

Under the effects of climate change on health, thrust will be on mathematical modelling; climate change and its effect on heart diseases; genetics studies in genetic aspects of psychiatric conditions; environmental factors affecting epigenetic changing leading to psychiatric disorders; environmental factors in disability; osteoporosis; cartilage metabolism in osteoarthritis; head & neck cancers; hearing impairment and role of modifier gene; chronic kidney disease in adults and paediatric urological conditions as cause of CKD in children; and exon skipping and therapeutics in neuromuscular disorder.

In the area of research for a healthier life---strategies for prevention, health promotion and nutrition, the main focus will be on improving dietary habits of adolescents.

The purpose of this programme is to stimulate new collaborations, e.g. the preparation of joint projects under national funding programmes. The programme facilitates bilateral cooperation between the scientific communities of India and Germany by way of joint research projects, bilateral workshops/seminars, exchange visits of scientists, scientific delegations and composite (scientific and industrial) delegations. Both sides will explore the possibility of funding from European Union research programmes.

The Indian Council of Medical Research under the Department of Health Research (DHR) of the ministry of health & family welfare, government of India, New Delhi and the Project Management Agency at the German Aerospace Center (DLR-PT, European and International Cooperation), Bonn are the nodal implementing agencies from the Indian and German side respectively.

Scientists/faculty members working in regular capacity in universities, national R&D laboratories/ institutes and private R&D institutes can apply under this programme. In the private sector, partners from all kind of private sectors are welcome, but financing is limited. For Indian scientists from the private sector, only local hospitality in Germany as part of the exchange visit is available from the German side. For German scientists from the private sector, only travel costs are available for small and medium size enterprises as well as local hospitality in India will be borne by themselves.