Foundation for Medical Research Information

The Foundation for Medical Research (FMR) was established in 1975 as a Public trust and is recognized as a national research organisation by the Government of India. It is affiliated to Mumbai University for post-graduate/doctoral degrees. The Foundation has permanent recognition u/s 35(i)(ii) of the Income Tax Act which enables the donors to avail of tax exemption. FMR practices a combination of basic biomedical and translational research. Its traditional research areas are leprosy, tuberculosis and medicinal plants. Newer focus areas being developed include environmental health and malnutrition. Pioneering work in neurobiology of leprosy has had significant implications for treatment and nerve regeneration. Field surveys highlighted the re-emergence of leprosy and operational gaps in its control. A seminal contribution towards the fight against TB was the warning of high levels of multidrug-resistant TB in Mumbai and definitions of mechanisms of rapidly acquired drug resistance. Current work aims to reduce TB transmission by airborne infection control practices. Development of innovative assays and standardisation approaches has identified promising anti-diarrhoeal and anti-TB plants. This has led to a roadmap for modernization of traditional plant-based medicine. FMR is expanding its skillsets in technologies for both laboratory and field-based research.