Prasanthi Nilayam, 24 September 2023:
Dr. (Prof.) U S Vishal Rao, a leading head and neck oncologist and surgeon, delivered the S G Sundaraswamy Memorial Lecture 2023 at the Sai Hira Global Convention Centre, Prasanthi Nilayam, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday, 24 September 2023.
Held annually, the event is an endowment lecture commemorated in honour of the late Sri S G Sundaraswamy by his son, Sri S S Naganand, Trustee, of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust. It allows faculty and students to meet and learn from distinguished scholars and professionals. Funds from the endowment go towards expenses at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed to be University).
Speaking on the topic ‘Possibility to Actuality: Bridging the Gap Between Biological Advances and Technological Advances’ Dr. Vishal Rao explained in detail the rapidly emerging area of translational medicine, a ‘bench-to-bedside’ approach that challenges established theories, disrupts the current state of medicine, and reimagines evidence-based practices through technological advancements, all in an effort to rapidly improve public health and patient care. The COVID-19 pandemic helped accelerate this timeline of research-to-practice hyperloop.
The talk emphasized the importance of adopting Design Health thinking to identify and define problems, leading to sustainable solutions. He discussed the different stages of innovation, including research, incremental improvements, disruptive inventions, and jugaad innovation (smart fixes within constraints).
Through several examples from his life, he emphasized the need for Responsible Research Innovations and their importance in making a life-changing impact. He believed that the greatest tribute the students of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning could offer to the Founder Chancellor Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba would be to use the world-class research facilities at the Institute for the benefit of society.
Dr. Vishal Rao spoke about the need to foster collaboration between academia and industry to create an innovation ecosystem that bridges the gap between biological and technological advancements. The talk also advocated for integrating genomics, proteomics, microbiomics, and other scientific disciplines like physics, chemistry, and quantum physics to foster a holistic approach to innovation.
A highly accomplished and respected figure in the field of medicine and academia, Dr Vishal Rao is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and currently serves as the Country Director for Head and Neck Surgical Oncology and Robotic Surgery at the HCG Cancer Centre in Bengaluru. He is also the Dean for the Centre of Academics & Research within the HCG Group. He is the inventor of ‘Aum Voice Prosthesis’ a $1 speaking device for throat cancer patients. His invention is a part of 100 global social innovations across the globe. He has over 100 national and international publications to his name and his exceptional work has been recognized through various awards, including the Kempegowda Award and the Judy Wilenfied Award for Global Tobacco Control.
Dr. Vishal Rao is serving as a member of the Consultative Group to the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister, Govt. of India, and a member of the Vision Group for Science, Technology & Biotechnology in the Government of Karnataka. Additionally, he holds the position of Country Director for the International Federation of Inventors Association (IFIA Bharat).
The event was attended by Sri K Chakravarthi, Chancellor, Prof. B Raghavendra Prasad, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Srikanth Khanna, Registrar, Dr. G S Srirangarajan, Controller of Examinations, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, and by members of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT), Shri R J Rathnakar (Managing Trustee), and Sri S S Naganand.
View Recording: bit.ly/SSSIHL-SGSMemorial-2023
Read More on Dr. (Prof.) U S Vishal Rao
