Dr. Mohanasankar S | “Students experimenting, building, failing, & learning is now the norm”| Ep. 17

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

March 17, 2025

Duration

1h 22m

Channel

Best Place To Build

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Prof. Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam about the groundbreaking work happening at IIT Madras. Discover how the Brain Center is creating the world's most comprehensive brain mapping project - slicing brain tissue at just 1/10th of a human hair and imaging at 1/100th resolution! Prof. Mohan shares the incredible engineering challenges behind this work - from preserving delicate brain tissue to processing petabytes of data. We also explore HTIC's mission to develop indigenous medical technologies in India, including their Mobile Cataract Surgery Unit that's bringing sight to thousands in rural areas. Learn why IIT Madras has become a hotbed for innovation, how patents drive research commercialization, and why giving students "absolute freedom to experiment" creates tomorrow's pioneers. 00:00 Introduction 01:07 Meet Professor Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam: The Med Tech Builder 01:37 The Genesis of the Brain Center 02:31 Challenges in Imaging the Human Brain 03:06 Advanced Technology at the Brain Center 04:38 The Engineering Behind Brain Imaging 06:52 AI and Computational Challenges 12:49 Global Collaboration and Impact 17:31 HTIC: Addressing India's Medical Device Needs 24:05 The Mobile Cataract Surgery Unit 27:59 Navigating Trust in Indigenous Medical Tech 30:19 The Economics of Healthcare in India 38:50 The Role of Electrical Engineering in Medical Tech 41:12 Building Solutions: Theory and Practice 41:57 The Evolution of Electrical Engineering 42:31 Innovations in Medical Devices 43:16 Risk-Taking in Research 43:56 Interdisciplinary Approach at IIT Madras 45:39 Curriculum Flexibility and Student Choices 48:44 The Importance of Patents 49:06 Understanding Intellectual Property 52:09 The Role of Publications vs. Patents 52:54 Economic Viability of R&D 55:30 Global Patenting and Commercialization 57:20 Student Involvement in Research 58:21 The Rise of Startups and Entrepreneurship 01:02:02 Changing Student-Faculty Dynamics 01:05:04 Opportunities at Research Labs 01:19:04 Global Exposure and Future Prospects

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Dr. Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam

  guest

• Unknown Host

  host

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Best Place To Build, featuring Dr. Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam and Unknown Host, Dr. Mohanasankar S | “Students experimenting, building, failing, & learning is now the norm”| Ep. 17 explores iIT Madras builder explains brain mapping and medtech innovation ecosystem The episode profiles Dr. Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam—electrical engineering professor, head of IIT Madras’ Brain Center and HTIC—framing him as a “builder” who connects deep theory with real-world systems and products.

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