The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, is the apex body for the formulation, coordination, and promotion of biomedical research in the country. With a long-standing commitment to advancing health through science, ICMR supports research initiatives aimed at improving the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases impacting public health. Through its Extramural Research Program, ICMR provides funding to external research institutions, scientists, and health professionals, enabling them to carry out high-impact research in critical health domains. One such initiative is the Centre for Advanced Research (CAR), designed to facilitate breakthrough scientific advancements by well-established research teams. ICMR emphasizes innovation and translational research, with a goal of building research capacities and sustainable infrastructures within host institutions. The organization also places importance on collaboration, policy advocacy, and the development of medical countermeasures, including vaccines and diagnostics. ICMR’s comprehensive approach to health challenges reflects a commitment to evidence-based solutions and a vision of a healthier nation through continuous investment in scientific excellence.

Through its Extramural Research Program, ICMR funds Centres for Advanced Research (CAR) to promote cutting-edge research led by high-performing teams. This grant supports comprehensive studies focused on solving significant health problems across various domains. CARs may involve single or interconnected research projects with clear deliverables and outcomes. The objective is to facilitate advanced exploration into causation, progression, management, and prevention of critical diseases, while producing new knowledge and sustainable solutions. Projects supported by CAR should address priority areas, including both communicable and non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and emerging health issues such as antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and ageing. The scope also includes research in diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines, and oral health, among others. Each CAR is expected to build long-term capacity, including trained personnel and sustainable research infrastructure. Upon completion of the funded period, host institutions are expected to absorb the center’s operations into their permanent institutional framework. The grant also promotes continuity by expecting institutions to carry forward the research momentum, thereby strengthening India’s scientific ecosystem.