NBM-BIRAC Clinical Trials Training Program
St. John’s Research Institute was awarded the grant under NBM-BIRAC (National Biopharma Mission - Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) to conduct training on Clinical Trials across multiple locations in India, to ensure maximum reach and impact.We conducted the 6 days trainings under the grant, at MRU, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam.The course has interactive lectures, hands-on sessions on data management and statistics and case-based discussions. Topics:RCT Designs & AnalysisLarge simple trialsFactorialNon-InferiorityCluster Randomized,Adaptive TrialsStepped Wedge DesignInterrupted Time SeriesDecentralized Clinical TrialsReal World and Pragmatic TrialStudy specific protocolStatistics:Sample size for different RCT designsParametric & non-parametric testsSurvival analysis Techniques:RandomizationBlindingAllocation concealmentOperations and Regulatory:Awareness of Clinical Trials Rules & RegulationsManaging and reporting AEs/SAEsGood Documentation PracticeOverview of Data Management Participants received a certificate upon successful completion of the course.
NURTURE 2025: Transforming Society through Nutrition Research
NURTURE 2025, held at St. John's Research Institute, Bengaluru from 21st July to 1st August 2025, was a transformative two-week residential course that brought together 85 early-career nutrition researchers, doctoral students, and public health professionals from India and Sri Lanka, with the central theme: Translating Research to Transform Society. Organized by the Division of Nutrition at St. John’s Research Institute in collaboration with the Nutrition Society of India and ICMR–National Institute of Nutrition, the course offered a powerful blend of lectures, practical workshops, and mentorship from over 40 distinguished national and international faculty Participants explored a broad spectrum of topics including public health nutrition, advances in nutritional science, precision nutrition, implementation science, food systems, maternal and child health, and data-driven approaches using AI and mHealth. Hands-on training in advanced techniques such as body composition assessment techniques, indirect calorimetry, dietary assessment, molecular nutrition techniques, and JAMOVI-based data analysis enriched their practical skills. T The highlight of the course was the keynote address by Dr. Vinod K. Paul (NITI Aayog) who urged the participants to start thinking and planning research studies towards solving major public health nutrition issues particularly in early infancy. Each of the faculty, experts in their fields inspired and motivated the participants to start working towards improving public health nutrition in India and globally. A big thank you to each and every faculty of NURTURE 2025 to making it a grand success. A highlight was the final day panel discussion, where 10 participant groups presented research and implementation proposals to an expert jury. Group 7 was awarded Best Presentation for their impactful study on fortified rice kernel stability in nutrition-sensitive safety net programs. The course concluded with a valedictory session, reflecting the participants’ renewed commitment to evidence-based action in public health nutrition. With a regional NURTURE capsule planned at Assam Agricultural University in October 2025, this initiative continues to grow as a vibrant platform to foster innovation, build capacity, and drive real-world impact in nutrition science.
MOU signed between St John's National Academy of Health Sciences and CSIR Fourth Paradigm Institute (CSIR-4PI)
The MOU Signing Ceremony between St John's National Academy of Health Sciences and CSIR Fourth Paradigm Institute (CSIR-4PI) was held on 20th August 2025 at the St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences Campus. Both Institutes officially entered into a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing research and innovation in healthcare by utilizing data science, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), augmented intelligence, and the design and development of decision support systems.The partnership, formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), will focus on joint research in areas such as digital pathology, cancer research and later in broader areas of healthcare.Rev. Fr. Jesudoss Rajamanickam, Director, St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, and Dr. Tony D. S. Raj, Dean, St. John’s Research Institute, signed the MOU on behalf of St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences and Dr. Imtiyaz A Parvez, Chief Scientist and Head, TMD and Business Development, signed the MOU on behalf of CSIR-Fourth Paradigm Institute.
PORTENT Annual Meeting 2025
PORTENT: A Center for Point of Care Technologies for Nutrition, Infection, and Cancer. About PORTENTA center for Point-of-Care Technologies for Nutrition, Infection, and Cancer, PORTENT catalyzes the development of rapid, low-cost diagnostics that can be deployed in real-world, resource-limited environments. It fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, global partnerships, and real-world testing to ensure innovations are impactful and scalable.How does PORTENT empower point-of-care technology development?Access to timely, affordable, and accurate diagnostics is a major gap in addressing malnutrition, infectious diseases, and cancer—especially in low-resource settings. The PORTENT program at Cornell University exists to bridge this gap by bringing point-of-care (PoC) solutions closer to the people who need them most.How does PORTENT drive innovation in point-of-care diagnostics?PORTENT supports the full innovation pipeline—from technology development to clinical validation and lab-to-market acceleration. It connects researchers with a global clinical network (spanning the U.S., India, Uganda, and Ecuador), offers seed funding through Innovation Awards, and provides training and mentorship for navigating regulatory and commercialization pathways.Building Bridges in Health Innovation: PORTENT’s Global Team Visits IndiaHeadquartered at Cornell University in New York, USA, PORTENT’s reach spans four continents. Its previous annual review meeting was held in New York. This year, it will be proudly hosted at St. John’s Research Institute, Bangalore, India.The global PORTENT team will visit India to engage deeply with the Indian healthcare innovation ecosystem. This visit will also create unique opportunities for Indian startups and innovators to interact with global experts, exchange ideas, and foster cross-collaboration in point-of-care technology development.