The All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi and the Indian Space Research Organisation signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday (ET) to collaborate on space medicine research, and isro will join AIIMS in a cooperative framework for ground- and space-based biomedical studies. The agreement was signed by M Srinivas, Director of AIIMS, New Delhi, and Dinesh Kumar Singh, Director of the Human Space Flight Centre of isro. The partnership aims to strengthen the country’s capabilities in human spaceflight and biomedical science.
What the MoU covers
The memorandum establishes a formal cooperative framework between AIIMS and isro for research in space medicine. Key areas of focus listed at the event include human physiology, cardiovascular and autonomic regulation, musculoskeletal health in microgravity, microbiome and immunology, genomics and biomarkers, and behavioural health. The programme at the signing featured an overview of ongoing contributions to space medicine research from AIIMS New Delhi.
- Human physiology and cardiovascular regulation
- Musculoskeletal health in microgravity
- Microbiome, immunology, genomics and biomarkers
- Behavioural health related to human spaceflight
Isro leadership and immediate reactions
M Srinivas, Director of AIIMS, New Delhi, framed the agreement as a step to accelerate joint research. “This MoU will give us the escape velocity to venture together into the field of space medicine. Collaborative research between AIIMS and ISRO will benefit patients, nation and ultimately humankind, ” M Srinivas, Director, AIIMS, New Delhi, said at the event. Dinesh Kumar Singh, Director of the Human Space Flight Centre, signed on behalf of isro, and V Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO and Secretary of the Department of Space, addressed the gathering and highlighted the evolution of the nation’s space programme while stressing the role of partnerships with leading medical and research institutions.
Prof KK Deepak, former Head of the Department of Physiology, presented an overview of AIIMS New Delhi’s ongoing contributions to space medicine research. Senior leadership from both institutions, including deans and department heads, attended the event, underscoring institutional commitment to the collaborative agenda with isro.
Next steps and what to watch
Officials described the pact as the launch of a cooperative research effort rather than a single project; the MoU is a framework for future ground-based and space-based studies. Stakeholders said the collaboration will focus on building research capacity, defining joint projects, and developing protocols that could support human spaceflight and broader biomedical advances. Observers should watch for formal research proposals, grant announcements, and pilot studies that translate the agreement into specific experiments and clinical work. The partnership signals an institutional pathway by which AIIMS and isro aim to advance space medicine research in the months ahead.
(Time stamped: event announced on Monday (ET))
