Addressing global health concerns

Leading researchers are meeting in India to address some of the world’s most pressing health issues.

Experts from the University of Edinburgh, the Indian Institute of Science will meet at the Edinburgh Bangalore Life Science Symposium to discuss new ways of approaching global health problems.

The symposium brings together scientists conducting research into topics such as autism, stem cells, infectious diseases and memory loss.

It begins at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore on 16 January.

Bangalore ties

The event in Bangalore builds on connections previously formed between the three institutions.

In February 2011, the University of Edinburgh opened a liaison office in Mumbai in order to encourage communication and collaboration between the University and partners in Indian education, business and government.

To mark the opening of the office, the University held a series of events in India, including a public lecture on the working of stem cells at the .

By working with India’s best research institutions, the University hopes to help tackle a range of global concerns such as environmental problems, economic development and health issues.

Working with India

The University has a long tradition of teaching and scholarship relating to India.

Former Edinburgh scholars with Indian links include William Robertson, who wrote one of the earliest European texts on Indian commerce and culture, and Victor Kiernan, known for his translations of the poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Mohammed Iqbal.

The University is also home to the Centre for South Asian Studies, the principal academic unit in Scotland dedicated to the study of the Indian subcontinent.

The Centre has links with the Scottish Parliament, non-governmental organisations and major educational and cultural groups in South Asia and Scotland.