The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world (its predecessor was set up in 1911).
The Council promotes biomedical research in the country through intramural as well as extramural research. Intramural research is carried out currently through the Council's 26 Research Institutes/Centres. These include:
- 21 mission-oriented national institutes located in different parts of India that address themselves to research on specific areas such as tuberculosis, viral diseases including AIDS, malaria, nutrition, reproduction, immunohaematology, oncology, medical statistics, etc;
- 5 Regional Medical Research Centres that address regional health problems, and also aim to strengthen or generate research capabilities in different geographic areas of the country.
Extramural research in Medical Colleges, Universities and other non-ICMR Research Institutes is promoted by ICMR through financing
- Centres for Advanced Research in different research areas around existing expertise and infrastructure
- Task force studies and Open-ended research on the basis of applications for grants-in-aid received from scientists.
Also, the ICMR encourages human resource development in biomedical research through Fellowships.
