A research team at Gujarat Biotechnology University (GBU) in Gandhinagar has secured financial support of over ₹1 crore from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a project focused on women’s health.
Led by Assistant Professor Dr Rohini Nair, the team will work on developing RNA-based diagnostic tools and treatment approaches for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB) a condition where women experience abnormally excessive menstrual bleeding. The solutions are being designed to be affordable, scalable, and minimally invasive, with an emphasis on improving access to care in underserved regions.
The funding approximately ₹1.3 crore has been granted under the Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges programme, which approved the proposal after a two-stage evaluation of concept notes and detailed submissions. The project also includes community engagement to increase awareness and encourage women’s participation in improving menstrual health outcomes.
GBU will collaborate with Dr Rohina Aggrawal, Dean and Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre (IKDRC) in Ahmedabad. While Dr Aggrawal will oversee patient recruitment and clinical evaluations, Dr Nair’s team will carry out laboratory research on women’s health issues.
The study will concentrate on creating low-cost, minimally invasive RNA-based technologies aimed at conditions such as Repeated Implantation Failure (RIF), Endometriosis, and HMB.
Dr Nair highlighted the widespread impact of HMB globally, noting that the condition often leads to anaemia, fatigue, reduced productivity, and diminished quality of life especially in low-resource settings where diagnosis and treatment options remain limited. She added that the project will also look at improving access to treatments like hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs), which remain underutilised despite their effectiveness.
Explaining the complexity of menstrual disorders, Dr Nair said Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) of which HMB is one form can stem from structural issues such as fibroids, adenomyosis, polyps, or malignancies, as well as non-structural causes including bleeding disorders, hormonal dysfunction, and problems in the endometrial lining.
To better understand these mechanisms, the researchers will use single-cell RNA sequencing to map the cellular and molecular landscape of the endometrium. The resulting dataset is expected to reveal key biomarkers and pathways involved in abnormal menstrual bleeding.
Calling the grant a major milestone, Prof. Sudhir Pratap Singh, Dean of Research at GBU, said it strengthens India’s growing role in advancing global research in women’s health and reinforces the university’s commitment to impactful scientific innovation.
