The Apollo University and Apollo Hospitals Partner with the University of Leicester to Establish the Centre for Digital Health and Precision Medicine in India.

India, January 20, 2025: The Apollo University, Apollo Hospitals and University of Leicester, United Kingdom, have partnered to establish the Centre for Digital Health and Precision Medicine (CDHPM) at The Apollo University campus in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. The advanced research centre will bring together the expertise and resources of both institutions to create a global hub for digital health and precision medicine. The CDHPM Centre will be the hub in Chittoor, India. The hub at the University of Leicester will be based at the BHF Cardiovascular Research Centre at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester.

The Co-Directors of the centre will be Professor Sir Nilesh J Samani, Professor of Cardiology at the University of Leicester, and Dr Sujoy Kar, Adjunct Faculty, The Apollo University, Chief Medical Information Officer, Apollo Hospitals.

The CDHPM was inaugurated today by Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chancellor of the Apollo University and Founding Chairman, Apollo Hospitals in the presence of University of Leicester and The Apollo University’s Vice Chancellors. The Centre, which is fully functional today, will focus on revolutionising patient care by developing novel digital and personalised solutions using advanced analytical approaches to routinely collect healthcare data.

Commenting on the launch of CDHPM, Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, said, “At Apollo, we have always been pro-health, and the Centre for Digital Health and Precision Medicine (CDHPM) sits at the core of that belief. With the CDHPM, we aspire to transform healthcare delivery by bettering disease prediction, prevention, diagnosis, and management for acute and chronic conditions and are committed to profoundly impacting global healthcare. I am certain that such advancements will benefit patients globally and shape the future of personalised and data-driven medicine. I am happy to have launched the research centre in my birthplace in partnership with Leicester University.”

Dr.Vinod Bhat, Vice Chancellor of The Apollo University, discusses the partnership and its potential to drive transformative healthcare solutions forward. He says, “The launch of the Centre for Digital Health and Precision Medicine marks a monumental step forward in The Apollo University’s commitment to revolutionising healthcare through innovation and collaboration. By integrating cutting-edge medical research with advanced technology, the Centre aims to redefine patient care and create a global benchmark for precision medicine. This partnership with the University of Leicester strengthens our academic and research capabilities and paves the way for transformative healthcare solutions to create new academic benchmarks.”

Commenting on the launch of CDHPM, Professor Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Leicester, said: “The establishment of the centre will allow Leicester and Apollo to build the healthcare of the future, which has the potential to transform lives not only in India and the UK but around the globe.

Combining the world-leading expertise of both institutions means we can find new and novel ways to solve the biggest challenges in health. We have also taken the first steps to provide cutting-edge degree programmes designed to address the current and future shortages of expertise in healthcare services, both in the UK and India.”

The centre’s vision
The Centre’s unique strength is underpinned by the extensive understanding that the institutions have of the challenges faced by healthcare systems globally. By combining the expertise and resources of The Apollo University and the University of Leicester and leveraging the resources accessible to both sides securely, the Centre will direct its initial research efforts toward the following – although not exclusively – areas of shared strengths: cardiovascular diseases and care, acute and emergency medicine, and multi-morbidity—especially given the ageing population and the prevalence of individuals living with multiple conditions.

The Centre will serve as a critical research hub within The Apollo University’s ecosystem, advancing collaborative projects in Precision Medicine and Digital Health. This joint Centre aspires to further research excellence and make meaningful contributions to healthcare innovation and patient care.

Clinical Medicine research at the University of Leicester was ranked joint 2nd in the Times Higher Education (THE)’s analysis of the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

The Apollo University – University of Leicester programmes being launched
In addition, starting September 2025, The Apollo University will introduce three collaborative undergraduate programmes curated to fulfil the increasing demand for quality transnational education in domains such as Artificial intelligence, Electronics Electrical and Information Engineering, and Business Administration. As part of such programmes, students will complete the first two years of their studies at The Apollo University, India and subsequently progress to the University of Leicester, UK, for the final year of study of the programme.

Additionally, four healthcare-focused Masters programmes will be offered at the University of Leicester. These programmes will cater to the increasing demand for healthcare professionals with specialised competencies. Further speciality medicine programmes developed jointly by Apollo Hospitals, University of Leicester, NHS England and the BAPIO Training Academy (BTA) will offer students diverse pathways to train, specialise and practice in the UK.

The Apollo University – University of Leicester partnership so far
An overarching MoU was signed in June 2023 to strengthen links between India and the UK, establish a mutual desire to promote international cooperation and explore collaborative education and research programmes, particularly in healthcare and data science.

Contact Information:

For more information about the Centre for Digital Health and Precision Medicine, please visit: www.cdhpm.com

About The Apollo University, Chittoor

The Apollo University (TAU) is the Apollo Hospitals Educational & Research Foundation’s (AHERF) commitment to transform healthcare education, research, skilling, and training in India. Through the university, the group endeavours to make definitive contributions to society through healthcare research and innovation. With defining features such as industry exposure and ensuing experiential learning, international mobility options, academic rigour, and quality faculty, the student experience at TAU creates clear value for students and, through them, for all stakeholders in the healthcare industry.TAU commenced operations by offering diverse healthcare-focused UG and PG programmes in 2021.

About Apollo Hospitals

Apollo revolutionised healthcare when Dr. Prathap C. Reddy opened the first hospital in Chennai in 1983. Today, Apollo is India’s largest integrated healthcare platform with over 10,000 beds across 73 hospitals, over 6000 pharmacies and over 200 clinics and diagnostic centres, as well as 150 telemedicine centres. It is the world’s leading Cardiac Centre with over 200,000 surgeries and the world’s largest private cancer care provider. Apollo continues to invest in research to bring the most cutting-edge technologies, equipment and treatment protocols to ensure patients have the best available care in the world. Apollo’s 100,000 family members are dedicated to bringing you the best care and leaving the world better than we found it.

About the University of Leicester

The University of Leicester excels in health research and education, having achieved gold status in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for its student experience and outcomes. Its Biomedical Research Centre- awarded £26 million in funding by the National Institute for Health and Care Research- is at the forefront of clinical research in many health domains. The city’s 22% South Asian population, largely of Indian heritage, underpins Leicester’s global connections, positioning it as a dynamic hub for healthcare and academic innovation, deeply integrated with cultural diversity. Kamlesh Khunti, Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester, is co-leading a £10m flagship study to help improve the care outcomes of people living with multiple long-term health conditions or multi-morbidity in India and Nepal.