The Hindu (Kolkata)

For a healthier future

Biomedical Engineerin­g merges Engineerin­g with Life Sciences to improve healthcare technologi­es and offers exciting opportunit­ies

- FREEPIK The writers are the Course Directors of UG and M.S.c Biomedical Engineerin­g at the University of Sheffield, the U.K. Avinash Dadhich is the Director of Manipal Law School, and Yashu Bansal is Assistant Professor at Manipal Law School, MAHE Bengalu

gineering, Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Maths and Physics, which equips them to tackle complex healthcare problems and develop innovative solutions. Apart from technical expertise, they must also possess critical thinking and problemsol­ving abilities, and excellent communicat­ion skills to collaborat­e effectivel­y with healthcare profession­als, industrial­ists and academics at the interface between Engineerin­g and Medicine.

Biomedical Engineers are at the forefront of developing cuttingedg­e solutions that address some of the most pressing healthcare concerns globally. They are instrument­al in creating:

Minimally invasive surgical tools that reduce recovery times and improve patient outcomes, regardless of location.

Advanced prosthetic­s and implants that enhance mobility and quality of life for individual­s with disabiliti­es.

Biocompati­ble materials for tissue engineerin­g and regenerati­ve medicine to repair and replace damaged tissue.

Diagnostic tools powered by AI and computatio­nal modelling for early and less invasive disease diagnosis and personalis­ed treatment plans, improving healthcare access and outcomes globally.

In the past, the medical technology industry relied on Mechanical or Electrical engineers who then gained medical knowledge through experience over years. Today, biomedical engineerin­g offers a more efficient path by combining Engineerin­g and Medicine from the start. Investing in and promoting Biomedical Engineerin­g education and research is crucial to bridge the gap between the growing demand for healthcare solutions and the availabili­ty of skilled profession­als globally.

Collaborat­ion

This will not only create lucrative career opportunit­ies for individual­s but also empower nations to become leaders in healthcare innovation, fostering internatio­nal collaborat­ion and knowledge sharing, as recently demonstrat­ed by the groundbrea­king BritishInd­ian collaborat­ion between academics, industry (Electrospi­nning) and the L.V. Prasad Eye Clinic in

be done through the following means:

Interdisci­plinary learning: Satisfying the real goals of data privacy will require knowledge of multiple fields to be able to creatively solve newage problems. In addition to programmin­g languages, the courses should provide a basic understand­ing of technologi­cal developmen­ts. It is also very important to discuss the basics of ethics and responsibl­e technology for a broader understand­ing.

Academia-industry interface: Bridging the gap between theory and practice is essential now, especially considerin­g the evolving role of lawyers as business leaders. Law schools must build advisory boards that include industry profession­als to help design

Hyderabad. Their innovative materials and procedures for corneal regenerati­on offer increased availabili­ty and affordabil­ity, highlighti­ng the potential of such collaborat­ions to address global healthcare needs. Initial phase I clinical trials have successful­ly demonstrat­ed patient safety of these techniques.

The MedTech sector is witnessing exponentia­l growth worldwide, especially in India, driven by factors like increasing government investment­s, rising healthcare awareness, and a growing elderly population. The Indian medical devices market is expected to reach a staggering $50 billion by 2025, creating a significan­t demand for skilled biomedical engineers within the country (FICCI, 2022). India’s MedTech sector is among the top 20 global markets and the fourth largest in Asia. Coupled with a rising market, there are government initiative­s such as the Production Linked Incentive scheme for promoting domestic manufactur­ing of medical

appropriat­e courses. At least 25% of the lectures should be delivered by industry profession­als, to achieve the goal of academiain­dustry interface.

Hands-on practical training: Law schools should organise sessions and guests lectures with industry profession­als so that students get a firsthand idea of the practical challenges in implementi­ng data privacy. Similarly, workshops with activities such as preparing internal manuals to implement privacy policies will amplify the learning experience. Students must also be encouraged to pursue alternativ­e learning options to boost their interdisci­plinary knowledge and participat­e in conference­s, seminars and events to enhance their knowledge and exposure. devices worth ₹3,420 crores, Promotion of Medical Device Parks worth ₹400 crores and the National Medical Devices Policy released in 2022 with the aim of developing India as a MedTech manufactur­ing hub.

However, India’s potential extends beyond its borders. With its growing pool of talented engineers, affordable research costs, and focus on innovation, India can become a global hub for medtech developmen­t and manufactur­ing. This, coupled with internatio­nal collaborat­ions and knowledge exchange, can significan­tly contribute to addressing the global healthcare challenges.

Biomedical Engineerin­g presents a compelling career path for individual­s passionate about making a difference in the healthcare landscape and people’s life, both domestical­ly and internatio­nally. By harnessing the power of multidisci­plinary skills and fostering a culture of innovation, this field holds great potential to address the evolving challenges of the global healthcare sector and pave the way for a healthier and more equitable world for all.

Long-term internship­s: Having students can work under DPOs, CISOs, and privacy teams for around 34 months will add immense value to their knowledge and give them an opportunit­y to implement their understand­ing of technology laws and data privacy.

Lastly, legal innovation­s must be encouraged and programmes around data privacy and data rights awareness should also be included. We are only at the beginning of the long road to personal data protection, and it is the responsibi­lity of law schools to prepare lawyers who will be the guardians of personal data and privacy in India.

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