Nanomedicine to drive next generation of precision medicine and personalised healthcare: Jitendra Singh
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, on Sunday...
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, on Sunday said nanomedicine will play a major role in driving the next generation of precision medicine and personalised healthcare, while emphasising that India’s indigenous research in the field has significant global potential.
Addressing the inaugural session of the World Congress on Nanomedicine 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, Singh described nanomedicine as one of the transformative developments in modern medical practice, with the potential to make healthcare increasingly precise and personalised by operating at the nanometre scale.
He said future medical treatment would increasingly be tailored to individual patients based on factors such as their genetic profile, lifestyle, dietary habits and environmental conditions. Nanotechnology, he added, could enable interventions at the cellular level and open new possibilities for precision healthcare.
The World Congress, hosted by the Institute of Nano Medical Sciences (INMS), Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi, has brought together more than 2,000 participants, including eminent scientists and young researchers, to discuss advances and emerging applications in nanomedicine.
Nobel Laureate Prof. Roger D. Kornberg of Stanford University is the Chairperson of the Congress, while Nobel Laureate Prof. T. M. S. Chang of McGill University is its Honorary President.
India supporting 210 nanomedicine R&D projects
Explaining the scope of nanomedicine, Singh said the field applies nanotechnology to medicine, working with structures at the scale of one-billionth of a metre.
He said that as healthcare moves towards greater precision, patients suffering from the same disease may increasingly require different treatment approaches depending on their individual biological and environmental characteristics.
The Minister said nanomedicine could also have implications beyond healthcare by improving the cost-effectiveness of medical processes and contributing to the wider economy.
Giving details of government support, Singh said the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is supporting 210 R&D projects in nanomedicine with financial assistance of ₹174 crore.
These projects cover a range of areas, including – targeted drug delivery; cancer nanomedicine; infectious-disease nanomedicine; nucleic-acid and vaccine delivery; nano-diagnostics and imaging; regenerative medicine and wound healing; nanotoxicology and regulatory science; and oral insulin nanoparticles and cancer nanobots.
Highlighting India’s growing capabilities, the Minister referred to research involving oral insulin nanoparticles, nanobots for breast cancer, precision nanoinjection and targeted breast cancer nanomedicine.
He noted that earlier efforts to develop oral insulin had encountered challenges associated with absorption and digestive enzymes. Advances in nanotechnology, he said, could offer new approaches to overcoming some of these challenges.
Technology must complement clinical judgement
Singh also cautioned against excessive dependence on technology in medical practice.
He said technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and nanotechnology were creating new possibilities in healthcare, but should complement rather than compromise the clinical judgement of doctors.
The Minister called for a balance between advanced technological tools and the human and clinical dimensions of medicine.
He also stressed the need to rethink medical education in response to rapid technological changes. Recalling the traditional emphasis on careful observation and physical examination in medical training, he said foundational clinical skills should continue to remain important even as sophisticated technological tools become increasingly available.
Building a nanomedicine ecosystem
Singh said India’s nanomedicine ecosystem is expanding beyond laboratory research, with government support extending to startups, infrastructure, technology development and regulatory facilitation.
Through BIRAC, biotechnology enterprises can access programmes such as the Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG), Promoting Academic Research Conversion to Enterprise (PACE), Small Business Innovation Research Initiative (SBIRI) and Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP).
These programmes are aimed at helping researchers and enterprises translate scientific research into technologies, products and commercial applications.
The Minister also said India has established a regulatory framework for nanopharmaceuticals through guidelines jointly developed by DBT, ICMR and CDSCO. The framework provides guidance for evaluating the safety, quality and efficacy of nanopharmaceutical products.
Singh said India already has the scientific and institutional capabilities to contribute to the development of future nanomedicine solutions. He added that the country’s expanding research base, government support and increasing industry participation provide a foundation for moving beyond the adoption of emerging technologies towards developing indigenous solutions.
Nanomedicine offers precision in treatment
Prof. Kornberg described nanomedicine as a young and rapidly evolving field with considerable potential for healthcare.
He said nanomedicine could enable greater precision by delivering the appropriate amount of treatment to the appropriate location at the appropriate time, while potentially improving effectiveness and reducing toxicity.
Applications of the field, he noted, include drug delivery, diagnosis, medical imaging and regenerative medicine.
The inaugural session was attended by University of Delhi Vice-Chancellor Prof. Yogesh Singh, Prof. G. P. Talwar, NITI Aayog Member Prof. Gobardhan Das, Prof. Ramesh Chandra and Prof. Indrajit Roy, among other distinguished participants.
The World Congress on Nanomedicine 2026 is being organised under the umbrella of the International Society of Nano Medical Sciences (ISNS) and International Society for Nano Medicine (ISNM). The congress provides a platform for scientists, researchers, students and industry representatives to exchange knowledge, build collaborations and discuss emerging developments in nanomedicine.
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