UK-based Indian-origin researcher wins ₹26 cr fellowship to heal broken bones

Dr Arathyram Ramachandra Kurup Sasikala, assistant professor at University of Bradford in the United Kingdom, has clinched the coveted UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) fellowship worth £2.2m (₹26 crore) to develop a next-generation piezoelectric bone implant.

She will lead a four-year programme to develop a next-generation piezoelectric bone implant. The material generates electricity from natural movement, stimulating tissue regeneration and powering medical devices, all without drugs, wires or batteries.

The technology, part of a new field called Piezoelectroceutics, could offer faster healing for fractures, reduce the need for invasive surgery and even support memory restoration. It also has the potential to cut NHS costs and carbon emissions by replacing battery-powered implants with self-powered alternatives. 

Dr Sasikala said, “This is about reimagining how we treat the body, using smart materials that work with it, not against it.” 

“My technology could help patients heal faster, move more freely and avoid the side effects of traditional treatments. It’s a step towards a more sustainable, personalised future for healthcare,” she added.

Dr Sasikala’s team will include PhD students, research fellows and clinical collaborators, with support from partners including the University of Leeds, University of Cambridge, UC San Diego and Summit Medical Ltd.

Who is Dr Arathyram?

Kollam native Arathyram did her Junior research fellowship at National Remote Sensing Centre, ISRO in Hyderabad between 2011 and 2013. Later in 2016, she joined Chonbnuk National University as full-time assistant research professor in South Korea.

Earlier she had secured Marie Curie fellowship at the University of Birmingham for a project entitled ‘Noninvasive Modulation of the Blood-Brain Barrier using PiezoMagnetic Carbon Nanoneedles’.

She took to social media to express her gratitude, “Coming from a middle-class family in a small village in Kerala, India, this moment feels truly surreal. From my first Marie Curie Fellowship to now, this incredible recognition, I am reminded that when you challenge yourself, bounce forward, and keep going, life can surprise you in the most extraordinary ways.”

“This fellowship will support my vision to revolutionise healthcare with self-powered piezoelectric biomaterials by developing smart, non-invasive therapies that can improve the lives of ageing populations and beyond. But behind this achievement is not just hard work and resilience; it’s love, support, and sacrifice,” she added.