In a landmark event, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, through its School of Biotechnology, has received the unique distinction of being inducted into the prestigious SPARK GLOBAL organization headquartered at Stanford University School of Medicine, USA, making Amrita the first Indian institution to be accorded this recognition.

SPARK GLOBAL is a non-profit organization which supports high quality translational projects and solutions based on excellent science, addressing high priority unmet clinical needs.  The primary objective of SPARK GLOBAL is to support research carried out in academia, with close mentoring and guidance from volunteering industry scientists and experts, thereby enabling and increasing the impact of academic inventions for the benefit of patients worldwide. SPARK GLOBAL supports local programs at academic and non-profit institutions seeking to turn innovative ideas into solutions for patients and society.

According to Dr. Bipin Nair, Professor at the Amrita School of Biotechnology and Dean, Life Sciences at Amrita University, the induction into the SPARK GLOBAL program provides a wonderful opportunity to enhance ongoing original research activities in diverse areas of healthcare and clinical research, as well as to explore potential avenues for mutually beneficial research collaboration, with SPARK GLOBAL member institutions and laboratories worldwide.

Dr. Daria Mochly-Rosen, Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine and Founder and President of SPARK Global, noted that SPARK Global began as a grassroots initiative at Stanford University and has since inspired similar grassroots initiatives around the globe.

According to the SPARK GLOBAL Charter signed as an essential part of this arrangement, Dr. Maneesha Ramesh, Provost, Amrita University and Dr. Bipin Nair, Dean, Life Sciences will be joint Local Directors of the SPARK GLOBAL program initiated at Amrita University.