Among the recent examples, the collaboration between Waseda University and GN Corporation, both from Japan and Sankara Nethralaya and NCRM in India, has led to the development of the polymer-based in vitro cell expansion technology for multiplication of corneal limbal stem cells and further animal studies have been already completed and clinical studies are to be conducted soon. The invention was awarded a patent last year.

Apart from that, encouraging results have been achieved from the joint efforts of Hokkaido University and Waseda University in Japan and Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) and NCRM in India. These research partners have developed a scaffold for spinal cord injury, which can retain the implanted autologous stem cells into the site of the injury. This technology has been tried in animal victims of spinal injury and safety studies has been proven with a publication.

Enhancing bonding efforts
The Japanese government has expressed willingness to invest in all sectors of the Indian economy including the biotechnology, nanotechnology, and life sciences projects. Economically, further consolidating the comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) signed in August 2011, India and Japan will be cooperating on the life sciences sector in a major way.

It should be noted that the government of Japan, in 2010, has extended a grant of 120 million yen (approximately equivalent to `7.2 crore) under the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for maintaining a polio free India project to eradicate poliomyelitis from India.

India Japan Science Council, working for the last 14 years, has so far been a very effective vehicle of science and technology cooperation between the two countries. The India-Japan Joint Committee (IJJC) has been the nodal agency to implement the science and technology agreement signed in November 1985. It looks into major policy issues, reviews the progress and proposes measures for enhancing the cooperation.