Problems worth solving
Student challenges, multidisciplinary projects, institutional and industry problems, public-interest and worldwide unresolved problems, and future research topics — each labelled by the evidence behind it.
Antimicrobial resistance: fast, affordable point-of-care tests to guide antibiotic use
Clinicians in primary care prescribe antibiotics without knowing whether an infection is bacterial or viral, or which drug will work, because laboratory culture takes days and is unavailable in many settings. The WHO lists antimicrobial resistance among the top global public-health threats.
Post-harvest loss of fruit and vegetables between farm and market
A large share of perishable produce is lost between harvest and consumption through poor handling, lack of cooling, packaging and transport delays. The FAO maintains a global platform documenting food loss and waste across supply chains.
Household and ambient air pollution exposure in low-income settings
Air pollution — from solid-fuel cooking indoors and from traffic, industry and crop burning outdoors — is a leading environmental risk to health according to the WHO. Low-cost monitoring and effective, affordable exposure reduction remain unsolved at scale.
Reducing road-traffic injuries among two-wheeler riders
Road-traffic injuries are a leading cause of death for young people worldwide (WHO). In India, two-wheeler riders and pillion passengers form a large share of fatalities. Helmet quality and use, visibility, road design and post-crash care all contribute.
Early, low-cost detection and support for dementia in community settings
Dementia affects tens of millions of people and most live in low- and middle-income countries (WHO). Diagnosis is late, specialist access is scarce, and caregivers lack support tools suited to their language and setting.
Safe, economic recycling of lithium-ion batteries at scale
As electric vehicles and storage grow, the volume of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries will rise sharply over the next decade. Collection, safe discharge, disassembly and recovery of lithium, cobalt and nickel are expected to become a major industrial and environmental problem.
Heat-resilient, affordable housing for a warming climate
Heatwaves are projected to intensify. Low-income housing with metal roofs and poor ventilation can be dangerous indoors. Passive cooling, reflective materials and low-cost ventilation designs suitable for informal construction are under-developed.
Low-cost sensing for crop disease and soil health on small farms
Smallholders rarely have timely information on crop disease onset, soil nutrients or moisture. Phone-camera diagnosis and low-cost sensors are advancing but accuracy, calibration, local-language advice and affordability remain open research questions.