Health and wellbeing
A smart city is a healthy city for reasons that extend beyond health care.
This theme will focus on what needs to be done to make cities healthy. We know of many technologies which can be used to deliver health care such as tele-medicine, and the importance of early detection and early intervention, but what can be done to reduce ill-health in the first place?
One of the biggest causes of ill-health and death is poor air quality. So how can the quality of air be improved to make a city clean and healthy?
Increasing active transport such as walking or riding a bicycle will improve mental health and well-being as well as cardiovascular health, so how can we make active transport safe for everyone?
Education, especially for young girls, is a major determinant of health in later life as it provides life-skills, resilience and economic independence. How can we improve educational outcomes for all to improve the health status of populations and reduce inequalities?
Research
We are eager to work with people and organisations on research that fits this theme. Some possible research examples might be:
- how best to scale up mobile diagnostic technologies to improve health outcomes?
- can smart, mobile health technologies improve rural access to specialist health services?
- what is the health dividend to increasing active transportation?
- what are the costs of not acting on social determinants?
If you have an idea for research and want to be a part of our network, contact us with your ideas.
Engagement
We are able to undertake work for organisations and governments. Talk to us about how we can help you. Some examples include:
- analysis of data and provision of reports to provide modelling the impact on health systems and health status of increased migration from rural to urban areas
- feasibility studies – for example, unifying national patient database to inform efforts to improve access and resource allocation
- economic evaluation – for example, new technologies and impact of Smart Cities on population health status.
Current research projects
Smart Cities, Platformization and Circuits of Capital: An Ethnograpic study of Data and Digital Monies in India
Investigators:
- Dr Brooke Wilmsen (La Trobe University)
- Dr Ruth Gamble (La Trobe University)
- Associate Professor Anindita Chakrabarti (IIT Kanpur)
- Dr Jillet Sarah Sam (IIT Kanpur)
PhD candidate:
- Mr Abhiram AH
Project ID: 6-EOI-IITK
Electric-assist bicycle (e-Bike) mobility planning for smart cities: Fostering active transportation to improve public health, air-quality, sustainability, and efficiency during COVID-19
This project will investigate whether e-bikes offer a better replacement to motor vehicles than unassisted bicycles and thus encourage people to use this clean and healthy mode of transport to improve quality of life through reduced traffic congestion and carbon emissions. It also will investigate whether it will assist those with a mostly sedentary lifestyle to increase their levels of physical activity and reduce the risk of health challenges.
Investigators:
- Dr Rodrigo Rico Bini (La Trobe University)
- Dr Jayden Hunter (La Trobe University)
- Dr Bandhan Bandhu Majumdar (BITS Pilani)
- Dr Prasanta Kumar Sahu (BITS Pilani)
PhD candidate:
- MD Zabiulla
Project ID: 10-EOI-BITSP
Biofilm resistant ultrafiltration membranes for effective water treatment
Increasing global demand for pure drinking water and waste-water management has resulted in the widespread development of membrane filtration processes. However, their efficacy decreases over time with the accumulation of particulates so replacing/disposal or cleaning becomes expensive and time consuming. Through this project, we plan to develop cost-effective ultrafiltration membranes which will have the potential to transform the water filtration/purification process.
Investigators:
- Dr Avinash Baji (La Trobe University)
- Dr Raju Kumar Gupta (IIT Kanpur)
Project ID: 14-EOI-IITK
Public understanding and informed-decision on the Ganges river water by people participation for an Action Plan for Clean River Ganges (APCRG)
This research aims to:
- Formulate an Ideal Scenario (IS) about citizens’ beliefs, understanding and intention for action regarding a clean river Ganges by experts in the field of water management and quality, governments and scientists (a detechnicalised document of what is expected to be a clean Ganges river and how this is important in living and lifestyle changes).
- Identify an Actual Scenario (AS) of citizens’ beliefs, understanding and intention for action regarding river Ganges water (what at present citizens believe, understand and interested in taking to clean the river Ganges).
- Evaluate the gaps in ideal and actual scenario to propose an Action Plan for Clean River Ganges (APCRG).
Investigators:
- Professor Xia Li (La Trobe University)
- Dr Premnadh Kurup (La Trobe University)
- Professor Pradip Swarnakar (IIT Kanpur)
- Professor Raju Kumar Gupta (IIT Kanpur)
PhD candidate:
- Ms Anjali Yadav
Project ID: 22-EOI-IITK and EOI 2-8-IITK
MXene-Collagen Based Bioinks as Suitable 3D Bioprinting Materials for Tissue Engineering
This project aims to develop a nanocomposite bioink comprising of MXene nanosheets dispersed within collagen hydrogel for 3D bioprinting of permissive cell-laden scaffolds. Its rheological characteristics, electrical conductivity, printability, print fidelity, cytocompatibility and in vitro biocompatibility for tissue engineering applications will be investigated. An attempt will also be made to pursue an in vivo characterization of the 3-D printed scaffolds.
Investigators:
- Associate Professor Ing Kong (La Trobe University)
- Professor James Maxwell (La Trobe University)
- Dr Avinash Baji (La Trobe University)
- Professor Kantesh Balani (IIT Kanpur)
- Professor J. Ramkumar (IIT Kanpur)
PhD candidate:
- Mr Indrajeet Singh
Project ID: 23-EOI-IITK
Smart Healthcare: Techno-Economic Aspects of Digitalization of Secure Healthcare Services in India and Australia
This project will explore how to secure Electronic Health Records (EHR) and protect against data breaches and human error, to ensure data recorded is truthful and transparent. The project will firstly categorize malicious, known and unknown patterns in the data breaches, automatically discover the contextual information to be used for classification, and use them for modelling dynamic security policies. The second part will be 'an ethical model' considering the human and economic dimensions together.
Investigators:
- Dr ASM Kayes (La Trobe University)
- Professor Wenny Rahayu (La Trobe University)
- Associate Professor Naveen Chilamkurti (La Trobe University)
- Professor Murali Prasad Panta (IIT Kanpur)
- Professor Praveen Kulshreshtha (IIT Kanpur)
Project ID: 24-EOI-IITK
Economic and Legal Aspects of Unconscionable Surgeries in India and Australia
This project focuses on a critical examination of the efficacy of institutions that provide remedial measures to the patients of unconscionable surgeries. Indian data will be collected and compared with Australian data about the clinical governance framework which aims to ensure that there are systems in place within health service organisations to maintain and improve the reliability, safety and quality of health care.
We will examine the experience in Australia and its suitability to design a consistent framework for clinical governance for physicians in India.
Investigators:
- Professor James Boyd (La Trobe University)
- Associate Professor Murali Prasad Panta (IIT Kanpur)
- Professor Praveen Kulshreshtha (IIT Kanpur)
- Dr S.M.Kantikar (IIT Kanpur)
- Professor O V Nandimath (IIT Kanpur)
Project ID: 27-EOI-IITK
Building Multi-source knowledge base for AI-driven public health explainable chatbots
A common problem in public health is the ability to answer health related questions at scale. One solution is to use Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence to learn the questions and answers so a machine can provide this service 24x7 to many people. However current techniques lack the capabilities to ensure answers are medically sound, so new algorithms need to be found to overcome these kinds of issues.
Investigators:
- Dr Mei-Tai Chu (La Trobe University)
- Dr Binh Tran (La Trobe University)
- Dr Manik Gupta (BITS Pilani)
Project ID: 33-EOI-BITSP
Molecular-genetic and epigenetic analysis of methamphetamine-induced psychosis
In this project, we will study the behavioural and molecular effects of chronic methamphetamine treatment. A detailed characterisation of the behavioural and cognitive effects of chronic methamphetamine in rats will identify the affected genes and genetic pathways associated with psychosis-like behaviour. The knowledge created through this study will result in better understanding of the molecular-genetic and epigenetic basis of psychosis and would help in identifying genes/proteins that can targeted for treatment of methamphetamine psychosis and schizophrenia.
Investigators:
- Professor Maarten van den Buuse (La Trobe University)
- Professor K.N. Mohan (BITS Pilani)
PhD candidate:
- Ms Minali Singh
Project ID: 44-EOI-BITSP
Women Entrepreneurs & Green Entrepreneurship: A strategic approach towards implementation of circular economy model
Investigators:
- Professor B V Phani (IIT Kanpur)
- Professor Alex Maritz (La Trobe University)
Project ID: EOI 2-2-IITK
AI-driven healthcare: multi-modality data analysis and mining for COVID-19 treatment and rehabilitation in India and Australia
Investigators:
- Dr Vipul Arora (IIT Kanpur)
- Dr Peng Cheng (La Trobe University)
Project ID: EOI 2-3-IITK
Discover the Best practices of Community Engagement in Promoting Rooftop Terrace Gardening in Smart Urban
Investigators:
- Associate Professor Pradip Swarnakar (IIT Kanpur)
- Dr Malliga Marimuthu (La Trobe University)
- Professor Clare D'Souza (La Trobe University)
Project ID: EOI 2-9-IITK
Incremental data stream representation learning based digital twin technology for dynamic smart city environments
Investigators:
- Associate Professor Ankush Sharma (IIT Kanpur)
- Professor Damminda Alahakoon (La Trobe University)
- Dr Binh Tran (La Trobe University)
PhD candidate:
- Mr Shrey Verma
- Ms Namita Kumari
Project ID: 150-IIT K - LTU 2021
Machine learning-directed design of peptide antimicrobials
Investigators:
- Professor Sandeep Verma (IIT Kanpur)
- Professor Adam Mechler (La Trobe University)
PhD candidate:
- Geetanjali Singh
Project ID: SEOI-8-IITK
Design and Development of Intelligent Energy Harvesting Autonomous Buoy for River Water Quality Management
Investigators:
- Professor Bishakh Bhattacharya (IIT Kanpur)
- Associate Professor Robert Ross (La Trobe University)
- Dr Ruth Gamble (La Trobe University)
PhD candidate:
- Mr Ashish Shukla
Project ID: 62 IIT K - LTU 2023
Recontextualization of Psychological Capital: Studies in the remote work setup
Investigators:
- Associate Professor Amit Shukla (IIT Kanpur)
- Dr Jasvir Kaur Nachatar Singh (La Trobe University)
PhD candidate:
- Mr Vineet Arora
Project ID: 94 IIT K - LTU 2023
Integrating supply chains in smart cities for enhanced community service: A business and environmental sustainability approach
Investigators:
- Professor Srikanta Routroy (BITS Pilani)
- Dr Prasanta Kumar Sahu (BITS Pilani)
- Associate Professor Sobhan (Sean) Arisian (La Trobe University)
- Professor Aniruddha Desai (La Trobe University)
Project ID: 101 BITS - LTU 2023
Low-cost empathetic robotic solution for caregiving (LERSCe)
Investigators:
- Dr Abhijit Das (BITS Pilani)
- Dr Aritra Mukherjee (BITS Pilani)
- Dr Abhishek Sarkar (BITS Pilani)
- Dr Joyjit Mukherjee (BITS Pilani)
- Associate Professor Simon Egerton (La Trobe University)
Project ID: 50 BITS - LTU 2023
Development of a promising therapy for the treatment of Neurocognitive Disorder (dementia) with special emphasis on in vivo Pre-clinical studies
Investigators:
- Dr Balaram Ghosh (BITS Pilani)
- Professor Garrie (Thiruma) Arumugan (La Trobe University)
Project ID: 109 BITS - LTU 2023
Formulation-based strategy to design membrane targeting antimicrobial peptide-based therapeutics for cancer and eye infections
Investigators:
- Associate Professor Swati Biswas (BITS Pilani)
- Professor Adam Mechler (La Trobe University)
Project ID: 64 BITS - LTU 2023
Field Enhanced Volatile Organic Compounds Detection in Doped Platinum Di-chalcogenides- Theoretical Investigation to Experimental Realization
Investigators:
- Dr Sayan Kanungo (BITS Pilani)
- Associate Professor Ing Kong (La Trobe University)
Project ID: 26 BITS - LTU 2023
The adoption and application of technological service innovation in aged care context: A Service-Dominant Logic Perspective
Investigators:
- Dr Seyed Mohammad Sadegh Khaksar (La Trobe University)
- Professor Murali Prasad Panta (IIT Kanpur)
Project ID: 67 LTU - IIT K 2023
Machine Learning for Neoantigen Identification and Prediction in Cancer Immunotherapy
Investigators:
- Professor Wei Xiang (La Trobe University)
- Associate Professor Subhajit Roy (IIT Kanpur)
Project ID: 113 LTU - IIT K 2023
Research partners
La Trobe Academics
- Dr Leila Afshari
- Dr Hayder Al-Aubaidy
- Professor Damminda Alahakoon
- Professor Garrie (Thiruma) Arumugam
- Dr Paulina Billett
- Dr Rodrigo Rico Bini
- Associate Professor Adam Bird
- Dr Avinash Baji
- Professor James Boyd
- Dr Jinli Cao
- Professor Yi-Ping Phoebe Chen
- Associate Professor Geoff Dickson
- Dr Greg Dingle
- Professor Clare D'Souza
- Professor Henry Duh
- Associate Professor Simon Egerton
- Associate Professor Jennifer Frost
- Dr Ruth Gamble
- Dr Sabrina Gupta
- Associate Professor Peter Higgs
- Associate Professor Conor Hogan
- Dr Jayden Hunter
- Dr Mumtaz Hussain
- Dr Shalinka Jayatilleke
- Dr Markandeya Jois
- Dr A. S. M. Kayes
- Dr Seyed Mohammad Sadegh Khaksar
- Associate Professor Ing Kong
- Dr Premnadh Kurup
- Dr Xia Li
- Dr Malliga Marimuthu
- Professor James Maxwell
- Professor Adam Mechler
- Dr Joel Miller
- Dr Jasvir Kaur Nachatar Singh
- Dr Swati Nagpal
- Associate Professor Andriy Olenko
- Dr Tshepo Rasekaba
- Associate Professor Robert Ross
- Dr Elizabeth Sari
- Associate Professor Joseph Tucci
- Dr Peter Van Der Kamp
- Erik van Vulpen
- Professor Wei Xiang
- Dr Kan Yu
You can download the complete file of one-page profiles for La Trobe Academics here [PDF 1.3MB]
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur Academics
- Dr Vipul Arora
- Dr Vipin B
- Professor Kantesh Balani
- Professor Bishakh Bhattacharya
- Professor Shantanu Bhattacharya - IIT Kanpur Theme Leader 1
- Associate Professor Anubha Goel
- Professor Tarun Gupta - IIT Kanpur Theme Leader 2
- Dr Purushottam Kar
- Professor Praveen Kulshreshtha
- Dr Akhilesh Mimani
- Dr Subhankar Mukherjee
- Professor Murali Prasad Panta
- Professor Raghu Nandan Sengupta
- Associate Professor Amit Shukla
You can download the complete file of one-page profiles for IIT Kanpur Academics here [PDF 1.1MB]
Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani Academics
- Dr Himanshu Aggarwal
- Dr Vinti Agarwal
- Dr Ashutosh Bhatia
- Associate Professor Swati Biswas
- Dr Dipanjan Chakraborty
- Associate Professor Manab Chakravarty
- Dr Tanmay Chatterjee
- Dr Rajneesh Choubisa
- Dr Nikumani Choudhury
- Dr Ruchi Jain Dey
- Dr Abhijit Das
- Dr Amit Dua
- Dr Sai Sesha Chalapathi Gattupalli
- Dr Chetana Gavankar
- Dr Benu Madhab Gedam
- Dr Balaram Ghosh
- Professor Navneet Goel
- Associate Professor Poonam Goyal
- Dr Manik Gupta
- Dr Sayan Kanungo
- Professor Suman Kapur
- Dr Rajesh Kumar
- Associate Professor Bivudutta Mishra
- Dr Radha Raman Mishra
- Associate Professor K. N. Mohan
- Dr Aritra Mukherjee
- Dr Joyjit Mukherjee
- Dr R Parameshwaran
- Dr Amitesh Singh Rajput
- Professor N V M Rao
- Professor Srinivasa Prakash Regalla
- Dr Ponnalagu R N
- Professor Srikanta Routroy
- Associate Professor Subhajit Roy
- Dr Prasanta Sahu
- Dr Abhishek Sarkar
- Dr Zakaria Siddiqui
- Dr Ramachandran Subramanian
You can download the complete file of one-page profiles for BITS Pilani Academics here [PDF 1.3MB]