Global University Foundation Joins Hands with Japan's Systems Biology Institute

Hyderabad: Global University Foundation (GUF), branded as the Global Institute for Research and Innovation (GIRI) and led by Dr. Ravindranath Kancherla, has announced a strategic scientific partnership with The Systems Biology Institute (SBI), Japan, during a visit to Hyderabad by SBI President Dr. Hiroaki Kitano. Formalised through a Research Collaboration Agreement signed on 1 November 2026, the partnership supports GUF’s ambition to build an integrated university and healthcare ecosystem in Hyderabad.

The vision for Global University Foundation is backed by a commitment of US$250 million, pledged by Dr. Ravindranath Kancherla, along with other key leaders and collaborators, towards building the institution and advancing its mission across healthcare, life sciences, research and technology.

Begun in August 2025, the partnership now enters its second phase, continuing with research across three frontier areas:

Computational oncology: using epigenomic biological clocks to track cancer progression with high precision, uncover biomarkers for early detection and build models tailored to Indian patients.

Healthy ageing: building on the team’s published work on personalised digital cognitive stimulation for people living with dementia, to develop AI-driven cognitive care for older adults.

Multi-omics and longevity: creating a unified measure of biological age, working towards personalised “digital twins” that guide preventive care.

The partnership connects clinically relevant questions from India with research of global significance and is drawing growing interest from leading institutions across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Australia. SBI Japan’s network of leading academic and research institutions will also explore collaboration with GUF across academic exchange, training, joint research and grant proposals.

Beyond joint research, SBI supports GUF in shaping its research priorities, peer-reviewed publications, academic programmes and visiting faculty engagements. Dr. Kancherla and Dr. Kitano provide overall scientific and strategic direction, with SBI Senior Researchers Dr. Ayako Yachie, Dr. Sucheendra K. Palaniappan and Dr. Samik Ghosh leading the work alongside the GIRI team.

Speaking on the partnership, Dr. Ravindranath Kancherla, Founder and Chairman, Global University Foundation, said “India presents a distinctive opportunity to advance research across healthcare, life sciences and technology, given the diversity of its patient populations and the scale of its healthcare needs. Through Global University Foundation, we aim to bring world-class scientific expertise, technological innovation and India’s clinical realities together, building the research capabilities and interdisciplinary collaborations needed to translate scientific discoveries into meaningful healthcare outcomes and advance health equity.”

Dr. Hiroaki Kitano, President, The Systems Biology Institute, said “Complex health challenges such as cancer and cognitive decline require us to understand how multiple biological systems interact. Systems biology and computational science offer powerful approaches to these questions. Our collaboration with Global University Foundation creates an opportunity to advance research in areas of significant clinical importance while strengthening scientific capabilities in India.”