The Centre will be led by Dr. Naveen Salins, Professor and Head of the Department of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care at Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal, serving as Principal Investigator. Dr. Arun Ghoshal, Assistant Professor, has been appointed Co-Principal Investigator.
The inauguration ceremony featured several dignitaries, including Dr. Ashoo Grover, Scientist G and Head of the Division of Delivery Research at ICMR, as Chief Guest, and Dr. Roopa Shivashankar, Scientist E (Medical), Division of Delivery Research, ICMR, as Guest of Honour. The event was presided over by Dr. H. S. Ballal, Pro-Chancellor of MAHE, and organised by Dr. Sharath K. Rao, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Health Sciences), MAHE. Other prominent participants included Dr. Anil K. Bhat, Dean of KMC Manipal, and Dr. Cherian Varghese, Director of the Prasanna School of Public Health.
In his address, Dr Ballal emphasised that the partnership between ICMR and MAHE represents “the highest level of national recognition for MAHE’s research culture” and reflects the University’s enduring commitment to “science that heals and research that transforms.” Dr Sharath K Rao outlined the roadmap for health research at MAHE, reports ANI.
The newly established Centre for Advanced Research aims to address a pressing need in India’s healthcare system—the provision of ethical, compassionate, and evidence-based care for patients with advanced and terminal illnesses admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The CAR will develop and evaluate a Multifaceted Comprehensive Appropriate Care Package (MCACP) that integrates palliative care principles within critical care settings.
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This initiative builds upon MAHE’s pioneering BLUE MAPLE framework, which has already influenced national end-of-life care standards through successful implementation at Kasturba Hospital and KMC Manipal. The new CAR will expand this model nationally, establishing a collaborative network of ten clinical centres and seven technical partners. According to an ANI report, the Centre’s work spans multiple disciplines—medicine, nursing, bioethics, health economics, law, and public health—reflecting MAHE’s belief in the “One Health–One Humanity” approach to research and innovation. By co-developing and testing a nationally scalable model of appropriate care for ICU patients with advanced illness, the CAR aims to influence policy, improve health-system responsiveness, and generate evidence that aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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With a strong legacy in research, innovation, and translational impact, MAHE continues to reinforce its role in advancing healthcare in India. The launch of the ICMR–MAHE Centre for Advanced Research (CAR) marks a significant step in strengthening its contribution to the national health-research landscape. Committed to integrating science, ethics, and empathy in healthcare delivery, MAHE envisions the Centre as both a national and global hub for ICU and palliative care research. It aims to set new standards in interdisciplinary collaboration and implementation science across the country.
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