The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and University College London (UCL) on February 23 signed a memorandum of understanding to explore potential areas of collaboration, including research-oriented activities, staff and student exchange programmes, research fellowship programmes, workshops and other events related to medical science.

They will be conducting research-based study, focusing on environment and its effect on Indians, for which the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi has also been roped in, Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS told IANS. "Pollution is a rising concern in India. The research will focus on impact of environment, particularly pollution, on the health of pregnant women, lungs and maternal health," Professor Michael Arthur, UCL President, said.

As part of the ongoing research collaborations, the AIIMS has joined the International Centre for Genomic Medicine in Neuromuscular Diseases (ICGMN), which is led by the UCL. The ICGMN brings together skills and resources from five countries (India, the UK, Brazil, South Africa and Turkey) and aims to advance the genetic diagnosis and therapy for patients with muscle wasting neuromuscular diseases, including motor neurone disease and muscular dystrophy.