The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI) has entered into a partnership with Roche Diagnostics International Ltd, Switzerland, for collaborative Research and Development (R&D). Roche has become a Gold Consortium Member of CeRAI through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two entities. As part of this collaboration, CeRAI and Roche, a global leader in in-vitro diagnostics and digital health solutions, will undertake joint research in Analytics and AI-driven solutions for in-vitro diagnostics. CeRAI, a virtual interdisciplinary research centre at IIT Madras, aims to establish itself as a premier institution conducting fundamental and applied research in Responsible AI. The centre is dedicated to fostering research in Ethical and Responsible AI, intending to set national guidelines and policies to ensure AI models and systems are more accountable, explainable, and responsible. Roche, known for its contributions to diagnostic solutions, focuses on research and development to create innovative tests and systems that facilitate the rapid and accurate diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. The ‘IITM-CeRAI, Roche Symposium on Responsible AI in Healthcare’ was held at the IIT Madras campus on February 10, 2025. During the event, Prof. Manu Santhanam, Dean of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research at IIT Madras, emphasized the institution’s commitment to scaling up laboratory research and industry collaborations. He highlighted the far-reaching impact of various projects, noting that the number of patents and technological innovations emerging from IIT Madras has been steadily increasing. Prof. B Ravindran, Head of CeRAI at IIT Madras, underscored the necessity of close interaction between AI scientists and domain experts for the responsible development and deployment of AI systems. He acknowledged Roche’s active research efforts in ethical AI and data management and expressed enthusiasm about collaborating to build more robust and ethical AI systems in healthcare. Manu Dev, Chapter Lead for the IVD Analytics product domain at Roche Information Solutions (RIS), reiterated Roche’s belief in the power of data in enabling informed decision-making for healthcare providers and patients. He noted that the framework agreement with IIT Madras would facilitate collaboration on research activities related to AI and Analytics in digital health solutions for in-vitro diagnostics, ultimately advancing healthcare systems. Adarsh Srivastava, representing the Data, Analytics, and Research function in RIS, highlighted the importance of AI ethics in ensuring patient safety, fairness, and transparency in medical decision-making. He pointed out that as AI continues to be adopted in diagnostics and patient care, ethical considerations play a crucial role in mitigating biases, enhancing trust, and aligning AI systems with human values. He further stated that the collaboration between Roche and CeRAI at IIT Madras would be instrumental in advancing research, developing ethical frameworks, and fostering academic partnerships to ensure that AI-driven healthcare innovations remain responsible, equitable, and beneficial for all.
