New Delhi, Sep 5 (UNI) With an aim to strengthen India’s fight against childhood cancer, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in collaboration with automobile giant Hyundai Motors has established the country’s first community-based Cancer Tissue Biobank on its campus.
The facility is part of the Hyundai Centre for Cancer Genomics, supported by automobile giant which was recently inaugurated by union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan here at an event.
The centre aims to accelerate research in paediatric cancers, with a focus on early detection, genomic sequencing, and personalised treatment protocols.
The initiative, being implemented under the banner of ‘Hyundai Hope for Cancer’, is a comprehensive programme led by the Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF) in collaboration with IIT Madras.
The project spanning three-year includes a social impact investment of Rs 56 crore, dedicated not only to advanced research but also to improving access to quality care for economically disadvantaged children.
The biobank will support the development of a national database for paediatric leukaemia and lymphoma, and serve as a collaborative platform for clinicians, researchers, and public health experts working to enhance childhood cancer outcomes across India.
The Hyundai Centre for Cancer Genomics will focus on genomic sequencing of childhood cancers such as leukaemia and lymphoma, aiming to build a national paediatric cancer genome database.
This will enable personalised treatment protocols, a significant advancement in paediatric oncology, where standard therapies often have limited efficacy in rare and complex cases.
Prof. V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said that the collaborative centre is poised to become a national hub for cutting-edge cancer research.
It will accelerate breakthroughs in diagnostics and therapeutics, especially for paediatric cases which remain underserved in the broader oncology ecosystem.
The centre will also collaborate with global agencies such as the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Underscoring that childhood cancer is on the increase and can be prevented if timely detected, Unsoo Kim, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, “This initiative is not only about technology, but about giving children the gift of time and a future.”
As part of its multi-pronged outreach, over 225 cancer awareness and screening camps across Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Maharashtra over the next four years have been planned.
It aims to screen over 1.27 lakh individuals and vaccinate 5,000 adolescent girls against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a leading cause of cervical cancer.
Additionally, the programme includes collection and genomic sequencing of 1,600 cancer tissue samples, free treatment support for 30–50 children from disadvantaged backgrounds, upskilling of over 100 technicians in genomic technologies and deployment of mobile medical units to enhance healthcare access in rural and underserved areas, said an official from Hyundai.
The event also saw the participation of Harsh Malhotra, union Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and Road Transport & Highways; Dr. Laxmikant Bajpai, MP (Rajya Sabha); along with key stakeholders from Hyundai, IIT Madras, and the medical research community.
Under the Rs 3 crore Cancer Care Fund, provisions have been made to cover diagnostics, medication, and follow-up treatment for paediatric cancer patients from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Gopalakrishnan CS, Trustee, HMIF, added that beyond treatment, the centre would serve as a platform for public health education, capacity building, and scientific collaboration to tackle the childhood cancer burden holistically.
IIT Madras, Hyundai Motors join hands to set up childhood cancer tissue biobank
