Biocon Foundation, IISc Convene Experts to Advance India's Oral Cancer Elimination Strategy

New Delhi, July 28, 2026: Biocon Foundation, the CSR arm of the Biocon Group, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Translational AI for Networked Universal Health Care (TANUH), hosted the 7th Oral Cancer Task Force (OCTF) Annual Conference on July 27–28 at the BITS Pilani, Goa Campus. The conference brought together clinicians, researchers, policymakers, public health experts and AI specialists to discuss strategies for oral cancer prevention, early detection and treatment.

Held on the theme "Integrating AI, Research, and Advocacy towards Oral Cancer Elimination," the two-day conference focused on the role of artificial intelligence, implementation research and multi-stakeholder collaboration in strengthening India's response to oral cancer.

A key highlight of the conference was the progress of the Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence (AI-CoE), a multicentric initiative involving 28 consortium partners, with IISc serving as the nodal institution. The initiative has developed Aarogya Aarohan, an AI-assisted mobile application that enables frontline healthcare workers to screen oral lesions using smartphone-based white-light imaging, supporting early detection and referral even in low-connectivity areas.

Since 2014, Biocon Foundation has screened more than 100,000 individuals through its community-based oral cancer screening programme. The Foundation also contributed over 30,000 annotated oral lesion images that supported the development of the AI-enabled application in collaboration with IISc and TANUH.

Speaking at the conference, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Founder & Managing Trustee, Biocon Foundation, and Convenor, OCTF, said, “India has a unique opportunity to redefine the global approach to oral cancer by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, scientific innovation, and strong public health systems. Through the Oral Cancer Task Force, we are bringing together expertise across sectors to develop scalable, technology-enabled solutions that can drive early detection, improve access to timely treatment, and ultimately save lives. The goal is to ensure that these innovations reach far and wide, making quality cancer care more equitable and accessible.”

The conference also featured the release of the 2026 update to the Indian Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines for Head & Neck Cancer, presented by Dr Kumar Prabhash under the aegis of OCTF. Discussions focused on AI-assisted screening, tobacco cessation, digital health innovations and strategies to improve timely diagnosis and treatment, with participants reaffirming their commitment to advancing evidence-based approaches for oral cancer control in India.