Scientists at Hyderabad’s CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) have uncovered a new pathway to disarm Cryptococcus neoformans, a deadly fungus causing cryptococcal meningitis. The study, led by Sriram Varahan, revealed how the pathogen’s energy metabolism linked to calcium signalling to form immune-evading “Titan cells.” By targeting this metabolic circuit, researchers proposed a strategy to prevent Titan cell formation, weakening the fungus and improving immune clearance. With over 1.5 lakh global cases annually and rising drug resistance, the finding offered a promising therapeutic direction.
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Researchers at IIT Hyderabad, Dr Himanshu Joshi and Kunal Rai, showed how the protein hAQP10 regulated glycerol movement across cell membranes, offering insights into fat metabolism linked to obesity and diabetes. Using computer simulations published in PNAS, the team found glycerol moved four times slower than water due to molecular checkpoints within the channel. The basic-science study provided one of the first quantitative estimates of glycerol permeability through a single aquaporin channel.
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Doctors at KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad, have successfully performed a robotic-assisted mitral valve replacement on a 37-year-old man with severe mitral stenosis due to chronic rheumatic heart disease. The five-hour-plus surgery, led by chief cardiothoracic and robotic surgeon Dr Nisarga on July 23, used small incisions instead of a traditional sternotomy, reducing trauma and aiding faster recovery. The patient, an accountant from a prawn export firm, has since been discharged.
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The Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Hyderabad, had achieved a milestone among government hospitals, having performed 1,000 robotic surgeries within three years under the leadership of director Dr Rahul Devaraj. Of these, 590 were cancer-related urology surgeries, 248 in gastroenterology and 162 in oncology. Over 90 percent of the surgeries, which cost Rs 3-10 lakh in corporate hospitals, had been provided free to poor patients through the Arogyasri scheme and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
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A year-long innovation programme worth up to Rs 4.8 crore has been launched by Hyderabad-based T-Hub and Honda Digital Innovation India, building on their earlier partnership. Spanning three challenges, the initiative selected four startups each, offering up to Rs 40 lakh apiece to develop proof-of-concept mobility and customer-experience solutions over 12-week sprints with Honda’s teams. Promising projects could advance to pilots and eventual integration into Honda’s offerings, officials from both organisations said at the launch.
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US biopharma major Amgen has announced plans to set up a Science and Innovation Center at Genome Valley, Hyderabad, expected to become operational in 2027. The facility would join the company’s global R&D network of seven research laboratories, bringing together scientists across discovery chemistry, drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics and precision medicine. Officials said the centre would integrate experimental science with data and digital innovation, strengthening Amgen’s existing footprint in the city while advancing global drug discovery efforts.
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Doctors at AIG Hospitals, Gachibowli, performed a rare surgery to remove a tumour at the junction of the brain and spine using augmented and mixed reality technology, reportedly the first such procedure in the Telugu states. Led by Dr Abhinama Chandra Gabbita, the team used AR/MR-enabled 3D glasses with a robotic exoscope to view patient anatomy and CT scans directly within their field of vision, avoiding repeated shifts to external monitors.
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A new low-cost water-treatment technology capable of simultaneously removing arsenic and fluoride from groundwater has been developed by researchers at IIT Guwahati. Their rotating-anode electrocoagulation (RA-EC) reactor achieved up to 98.2% arsenate and 91.8% fluoride removal within minutes, at an estimated operating cost of ₹18–₹58 per 1,000 litres. The system uses a rotating aluminium anode to enhance mixing and floc formation, overcoming limitations of conventional electrocoagulation. A pilot-scale, sensor-enabled version is planned for field deployment.
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Scientists at the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, have found that environmental lead exposure can worsen lysosomal dysfunction in nerve cells, especially alongside amyloid-β peptides linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology, the study examined human neuronal cells and found that lead combined with amyloid-β caused far greater damage than either alone. Researchers said the findings deepen understanding of how environmental pollutants may influence pathways behind neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
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A phytopharmaceutical technology derived from Gymnema sylvestre has been transferred to Viridis Biopharma by CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, for treating diabetic foot ulcers, with potential use in other chronic wounds and skin disorders. Developed under Dr Anthony Addlagatta’s team through the CSIR Phytopharmaceutical Mission, the IND-ready formulation has cleared pharmacological, pharmacokinetic and GLP-compliant safety studies, and holds patents in India and abroad, officials said.
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A study mapping Hyderabad’s dairy supply chain by ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, along with the Royal Veterinary College and international collaborators, found 90.5 percent of 42 raw milk samples tested carried faecal coliform bacteria, while 95.2 percent showed yeast and mould contamination. Salmonella was detected in approximately 33% of samples. Researchers warned repeated exposure could raise risks of diarrhoeal illness and poor nutrient absorption, particularly among children.
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Prof Kirti Chandra Sahu of IIT Hyderabad’s Chemical Engineering department has been selected for the National Awards to Teachers 2026 by the Ministry of Education, one of 21 educators recognised for excellence in teaching and research. His pioneering work on raindrop shape and size distribution has improved rainfall prediction accuracy, using a self-built facility simulating atmospheric conditions. The award, comprising a silver medal and Rs 50,000, would be presented by the President of India.
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The Dr Marri Chenna Reddy Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) at Sanathnagar opened to the public on August 17, four years after its foundation was laid, and after two earlier missed deadlines. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy inaugurated the 1,082-bed super-speciality hospital, built at Rs 1,070 crore in Erragadda, which offered cardiac, renal, transplant and trauma care. Of the total capacity, 582 beds were functional, with the rest expected online by October.
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Telangana Police launched an upgraded, AI-enabled Emergency Response Support System, TG-ERSS Dial 112, integrating police, fire, ambulance, disaster and women’s safety units at Hyderabad’s Command and Control Centre. AI-based call filtering cut processing overhead by nearly 30 percent, while enhanced location tracking pinpointed over 94 percent of calls. Urban response time fell to about six minutes, with the state average at 10 minutes 30 seconds, below the national average of 18 minutes.
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CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, and Re Sustainability Limited signed a strategic Umbrella MoU to jointly develop and commercialise sustainable environmental technologies. Under Dr D Srinivas Reddy’s leadership, the partnership covered plastic waste recycling, resource recovery, bio-based chemical processes, wastewater treatment and carbon capture. Officials said the collaboration aimed to accelerate lab-to-industry translation of waste-to-value and circular economy solutions, strengthening India’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
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Researchers at IIT Madras’s Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI analysed sequencing data from over 4,600 public ocean samples to study marine bacterial communities across tropical, temperate and polar regions. Published in mSystems, the study, led by Prof Karthik Raman, found rare “specialist” bacteria contributed more to ecosystem stability than abundant species, acting as vital connectors in microbial networks whose removal weakened resilience, aiding marine conservation efforts.
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Prof Thalappil Pradeep of IIT Madras became the third Indian elected as a full member of the European Academy of Engineering, in recognition of his work on nanoscience and affordable clean water technologies. His research had enabled millions across India to access water free of arsenic and pesticides. He preceded C.N.R. Rao and Biman Bagchi from IISc as Indian members, and had recently received the J.C. Bose Grant for a third term.
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Bhubaneswar-based Serendipity Space recovered its “Alchemy” module after a stratospheric balloon mission conducted with the TIFR Balloon Facility, Hyderabad, carrying monoclonal antibody and small-molecule drug samples. Founder Antariksh Parichha said microgravity eliminated crystallisation defects caused by Earth’s gravity, improving drug solubility and stability. The company, founded in 2024, had raised pre-seed funding from Campus Fund in July 2025 and built its prototype within months, positioning itself in India’s emerging space-pharma sector.
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Researchers at NIT Rourkela secured a patent for a low-cost extruder that produced 3D printing filaments from recycled plastic waste. Developed at around Rs 45,000 by a team led by Prof Sandhyarani Biswas and Prof Sujit Sen, the system used PID temperature controllers and cooling mechanisms to ensure durable, dimensionally accurate filaments. Applications included automotive, aerospace and medical device components, promoting circular economy practices in additive manufacturing, officials said.
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L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) and BostonSight announced a prospective clinical trial to study the effect of PROSE and SCLERAL lenses on mental health, extending earlier research on ocular impact. The IRB-approved, multi-site study assessed patients using the PHQ-9, OSDI and VFQ-25 questionnaires to correlate mental health outcomes with lens treatment. Dr Prashant Garg of LVPEI and Dr Daniel Brocks of BostonSight said the study aimed to support earlier mental-health interventions in eye care.
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A Nagaland University study identified 47 non-timber forest products across 20 villages in Nagaland and Meghalaya, assessing their role in tribal livelihoods and food security. Published in the Indian Journal of Ecology, the research, led by Prof Sanjoy Das, found bamboo shoot and wild black pepper as top revenue earners. Researchers called for sustainable harvesting guidelines to protect these resources while supporting rural income and biodiversity conservation.
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Tsinghua University engineers, in partnership with China Railway Group, unveiled Xianglong, a 4.5-metre hybrid tunnelling machine, in Wuhan, combining mechanical boring and automated blasting in a single platform. The design eliminated the need to swap equipment when encountering hard rock, cutting downtime and increasing tunnelling rates by up to 30 percent. The machine was intended for high-mountain railway and hydraulic tunnel projects, addressing schedule risks common in geologically challenging terrain.
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Researchers at IIT Guwahati developed ‘E-Eye,’ a portable optical sensor that detected arsenic, lead, chromium, fluoride and E. coli bacteria in water, aligning with the Jal Jeevan Mission. Costing around Rs 3,500, with a per-sample test cost of Rs 2, the device, published in IEEE Sensors Journal, matched standard lab spectrophotometers. Led by Prof Tapas K Mandal and Prof Harshal B Nemade, the team launched startup ENVIONIX Labs to commercialise the technology.
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Researchers at IISc, led by Bhagwati Prasad and PhD student Suryakanta Mondal, demonstrated an electrically-controlled magnetic phase transition in a complex oxide, published in Nature Communications. Instead of merely flipping magnetisation direction, an electric current transformed the material between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic-like states, yielding two distinct resistance levels. Nanoscale devices built from the material showed magnetoresistance exceeding 200 percent, offering potential for cryogenic memory and logic circuits supporting quantum computing.
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Researchers at IISc identified an enzyme from bovine rumen microbes, named CRhAB, that broke down biofilm polysaccharides of Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae, both critical antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. Led by Debasis Das and Dipshikha Chakravortty, the team developed an enzyme-infused gauze that weakened bacterial defences and reduced infection persistence in wound models. Researchers were also exploring inhalable formulations to treat chronic respiratory infections caused by the biofilm-forming bacteria.
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Researchers at IIT Madras, led by Dr Rohit Batra, developed an AI platform using large language models to extract data from over 10,000 research papers, creating the world’s largest public database of advanced alloys with 185,000+ records. Published in Advanced Science, the tool, “Alloy Tattvasar,” captured 350+ material properties and integrated sustainability indicators to identify greener alloys for EVs, aerospace and marine applications, cutting materials discovery time significantly.
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