Bengaluru: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and Tufts University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish an Interdisciplinary Centre for Nutrition Science and Medicine (ICNSM) at IISc.

The MoU was signed during a recent visit by the Tufts leadership team to India, in the presence of Tufts University President Sunil Kumar and IISc Director Prof Govindan Rangarajan, according to a press release issued by Tufts University on Thursday.

"The centre will be anchored in the medical school at IISc and will leverage the deep expertise in basic sciences and engineering technology," said Navakanta Bhat, Dean of the Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences and Professor at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering at IISc.

The initiative is being launched in collaboration with Tufts University's Gerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.

"It will provide a unique platform for researchers from IISc and Tufts to co-develop nutrition-focused healthcare solutions for India, the US, and beyond addressing the full spectrum of diseases stemming from both malnutrition and obesity," Bhat said.

Sunil Kumar said the partnership underscores both institutions' commitment to collaborative research and global problem-solving.

"Our work on nutrition is just the beginning of what we envision as a range of collaborative initiatives between our two institutions," he added.

Christina Economos, Gerald J and Dorothy R Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, said, "We envision a flexible, multidisciplinary training approach that equips emerging physician-scientists and health researchers with a strong foundation in nutrition science."