Ganapathy K., honorary professor, IIM Jammu, professor at The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, and emeritus professor at the National Academy of Medical Sciences; Mayur Abhaya, managing director, LifeCell International; and Shridevi S., deputy director, Centre for NeuroInformatics, VIT Chennai in conversation with Zubeda Hamid, Senior Assistant Editor, The Hindu, at The Hindu-VIT Chennai Biotech Conclave 2026 held at Taj Connemara in Chennai on Friday
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
Technology can improve diagnosis, expand access to care, and support more personalised treatment, experts at Biotech Conclave 2026, presented by VIT Chennai in association with The Hindu, said here on Friday (September 10, 2026).During a panel discussion on ‘Role of Technology in Biotechnology’, Ganapathy K., honorary professor, IIM Jammu, professor at The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, and emeritus professor at the National Academy of Medical Sciences; Mayur Abhaya, managing director, LifeCell International; and Shridevi S., deputy director, Centre for NeuroInformatics, VIT Chennai, discussed artificial intelligence (AI), genomics, telemedicine, and health data.Dr. Ganapathy said AI must remain a supportive tool rather than a replacement for clinical judgement. He also spoke about telemedicine that could help reduce the urban-rural divide in access to healthcare.“Healthcare is about trust,” he said, stressing that innovation should also cater to people with limited access to digital technologies.Dr. Shridevi said AI is already being used as an assistive tool in clinical settings. She stressed the need for scientists and technology professionals to work together, while ensuring that sensitive health information remained protected.Mr. Abhaya said wider access to genomic data and sequencing could benefit people living with rare diseases by supporting diagnosis and personalised care. India also needs to strengthen domestic capacity in genomic technologies, he said, noting that a majority of the sequencing market is dominated by one company.Health data protectionThe speakers also stressed the need for cybersecurity and responsible handling of health data as precision and personalised medicine increasingly depend on patient information.During the audience interaction, questions on emerging technologies, including foundation models and the future of genomic data, led to a discussion on how technology could be integrated into healthcare without replacing established clinical approaches.The session was moderated by Zubeda Hamid, Senior Assistant Editor, The Hindu. Published - September 11, 2026 02:26 pm IST
