CIIMS Nagpur Becomes Key Partner in National Study on Climate Change and Brain Infections

The Central India Institute of Medical Sciences (CIIMS), Nagpur, has joined the prestigious CLIMB-INDIA (CLIMate change and Brain infections in INDIA) research initiative. Led by Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, and supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under its Centre for Advanced Research (CAR) programme, the project unites a consortium of eleven leading medical and academic institutions from across India.

CIIMS Nagpur’s inclusion in this nationally coordinated study marks a significant milestone, underscoring the institute’s dedication, growing reputation, and excellence in neurological care and research.Dr. Rajpal Singh Kashyap, Director of Research at CIIMS and Principal Investigator for the project, explained that CLIMB-INDIA is a multi-centre study aimed at understanding how climate change, rising temperatures, and air pollution impact severe brain infections such as meningitis and encephalitis.

By integrating hospital patient data with weather and air quality information, the project aims to develop early warning systems for outbreaks, enhancing hospital preparedness and public health response. The insights gained will support improved planning, quicker interventions, and climate-resilient health policies translating scientific research into tangible benefits for patients and communities.

As a sentinel and clinical partner, CIIMS Nagpur will contribute patient data, conduct diagnostic testing, and correlate clinical findings with local environmental conditions. Its location in Central India with extreme temperatures and seasonal climate shifts provides an ideal setting to study climate-sensitive brain infections.

Complex or unclear cases will be further analyzed through advanced national reference laboratories at CMC Vellore, ensuring high-quality diagnostics and research outcomes.CIIMS’s participation in CLIMB-INDIA highlights its emergence as a trusted national collaborator in ICMR-funded research and its strong partnerships with premier institutions nationwide.

This achievement is a proud moment for both CIIMS and the city of Nagpur, reinforcing the region’s growing prominence in advanced medical research and public health.Through this collaboration, CIIMS reaffirms its commitment to converting research into meaningful health solutions for Central India and the country as a whole.Other team members involved in the project include Co-PI Dr. Amit Nayak, Dr. Rima Biswas, Ms. Komal Gurnani, and Ms. Vaidehi Motghare.