New Delhi, Feb 19 (PTI) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have signed a memorandum of understanding to support the development, conduct and promotion of health research in the country, a statement said on Friday.

Gates Foundation and CSIR will work together to identify opportunities to initiate scientific and technological collaborations, it said.

"These will focus on developing and testing new preventions, therapies and interventions that can help to solve major health concerns that affect India and other developing countries," the statement added.

According to the MoU, areas of research collaboration would include genetic diseases that impact infant and neonatal mortality; new diagnostics and devices for infectious disease and environmental surveillance; development of cost-effective processes for drug, vaccines, biologics, and diagnostics manufacturing; novel microbiome-directed foods; socio-economic impact of science and technological tools; and other areas of health and development.

The MoU was signed by Hari Menon, Director, India Country Office on behalf of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and G N Dayananda, Head, Technology Management Directorate – Industry Interface, CSIR.

CSIR is India's premier S&T organisation comprising 37 research laboratories focused on diverse scientific and industrial research areas.

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