Research in medical technology in the country has received a boost, with IIT Kharagpur joining hands with Texas Instruments for a four-year programme.

The research, to be conducted at IIT’s School of Medical Science and Technology (SMST), will focus on developing semiconductor technologies for early detection of oral and breast cancer, and MEMS (micro electro mechanical systems)-based bio-sensors that will monitor blood circulation.

Texas Instruments is funding the research and will also produce the devices that the collaborative project will come up with.

“In India, about 800,000 patients undergo a coronary bypass surgery every year and one in every 12 women suffers from breast cancer. Oral cancer, too, is widely prevalent. The programme aims at facilitating the treatment of such patients,” said Biswadip Mitra, the managing director of Texas Instruments.

“Our research will use imaging technology to develop instruments that will detect precisely whether a tumour is benign or malignant, and also quantify it’s spread,” said Ajoy Kumar Ray, the SMST head.

Students with B.Tech, M.Tech, M.Stat or M.Sc (physics or mathematics) degrees can enrol for the programme. But they must have specialisation in image processing, neural networks and pattern recognition, digital signal processor-based embedded system design, or MEMS-based bio-sensors.

The students, to be selected by the IIT, will register for a MS/Ph.D programme under the Texas Instruments-SMST Research Scheme.