Kris donates Rs 225 crore to IISc

A brain research centre at a cost of Rs 225 crore will come up here in a joint effort between Indian Institute of Science and a trust formed by Infosys Executive Vice-Chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan and his wife.

IISc, the country's premier university for scientific research and higher education, and the Pratiksha Trust today announced the collaboration to establish the Centre for Brain Research.

The Trust will grant Rs. 225 crore over 10 years towards the establishment and functioning of the Centre, which will receive support from the Centre for Neuroscience and other research facilities at IISc and collaborate with various research hospitals across the city.

The Centre, a Trust statement said, would be dedicated to study the numerous aspects of the functioning of the brain with specific goals to find cures for neurodegenerative conditions and diseases that are accelerated by old age.

It will also work for a better understanding of relative functions of the brain as well as leveraging the existing understanding of its functioning to create better models of computing, the statement said.

To guide the Centre, an international Scientific Advisory Board has been set up with Nobel Laureate, Prof. Torsten Wiesel as Chairman. Professors Stanley Fahn, Columbia University; Sangram Sisodia, University of Chicago; John Morris, Washington University, St. Louis; and Giovanni Frisoni, University of Geneva among the members of the Scientific Advisory Board. The Board will help in initiating the operations of the Centre, set research goals, and guide the Centre in its initial years.

To ensure an alliance between medical research and computing, the Trust will also fund the setting up of three chair professorships each in the Departments of Computer Science at IISc and at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras), it said. 

Gopalakrishnan, Trustee of the Pratiksha Trust, said, "The human brain is one of the world’s biggest mysteries, which is yet to be fully understood by man. By funding and creating this Centre with IISc, we are working towards creating a globally recognized, world-class research facility that will be at the cutting-edge of research on the human brain."

Professor P Balaram, Director of IISc, said the creation of the Centre for Brain Research in Bangalore provides a wonderful opportunity to bridge the gap between science and engineering on the one hand and biomedical research, including translational research on the other.

The Pratiksha Trust is a charitable trust established by Kris Gopalakrishnan and Sudha Gopalakrishnan that supports education, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship initiatives targeted towards the poor and focuses on creating systemic changes in society, the statement said.