Max Healthcare Institute has become part of a global research consortium under the Indo-European COMBAT programme, aimed at advancing studies on dengue and similar infectious diseases.
Backed by the Department of Biotechnology and the European Commission, the initiative brings together leading institutions from India and Europe. The project is funded to deepen insights into dengue, enhance diagnostic tools, and improve overall disease management strategies.
At Max Healthcare, the research will be spearheaded by Dr. Sandeep Budhiraja, Group Medical Director, along with Dr. Atul Thatai, Director of Molecular Diagnostics and Cytogenomics. The collaboration has been enabled by Dr. Ujjwal Neogi, Associate Professor at the Karolinska Institute, while the Indian arm is led by the BRIC National Institute of Biomedical Genomics.
The study will combine multi-omics approaches, clinical datasets, and artificial intelligence to better understand disease progression, identify key biomarkers, and enable earlier diagnosis and intervention.
Dengue continues to pose a major public health challenge across India and other tropical regions. This consortium reflects growing international efforts to boost research capabilities and strengthen preparedness against infectious disease outbreaks.
The collaboration marks an important step toward global scientific cooperation in tackling dengue. By integrating advanced technologies and cross-border expertise, the initiative aims to deliver more effective diagnostics and improve patient outcomes in the long term.