Dr. Manu Prakash Delivers Murty Trust Annual Public Talk on ‘Frugal Science’ in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, September 2025: On Saturday, Sep 6th, the Murty Trust annual public talk was hosted by the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, at Sir Puttanna Chetty Town Hall. This year’s invited speaker, Dr. Manu Prakash, Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Stanford University, is internationally recognised for his pioneering work in “frugal science” — developing low-cost scientific tools that democratise scientific discovery. A MacArthur Fellowship recipient and former Harvard Society of Fellows junior fellow, Manu is the brain behind several inventions, including the Foldscope, an origami-based paper microscope, and the Paperfuge, a hand-powered centrifuge. These ingenious tools are being used in schools, citizen science projects, community healthcare settings, and fieldwork around the world, showing that groundbreaking science doesn’t require expensive laboratories.

In her welcome address to the gathering, Mrs. Sudha Murty, Chairperson of the Murty Trust said, “Science is truth, and truth should be accessible to everyone. At the Murty Trust, we are committed to bringing science to society. Dr. Manu Prakash exemplifies this beautifully — he creates scientific tools from simple materials that change how people view and engage with science. Our public talk series brings distinguished scientists like Prof. Shrinivas Kulkarni from Caltech and Dr. Manu Prakash from Stanford directly to our community, fostering scientific curiosity and understanding.”

The talk was titled, “From Paper Microscopes to Global Change: Story of Frugal Science”. Manu spoke to the Bengaluru community about various applications of curiosity-driven science towards public benefit. He demonstrated how science can thrive outside the boundaries of traditional laboratories and expensive instruments, drawing on curiosity, improvisation, and simple materials to unlock new discoveries. Through stories about challenging expeditions to the Arctic and fieldwork in underserved African communities, he shared with the audience how making science accessible not only inspires wonder but also provides practical solutions to real-world challenges.

“It was an honor to be invited to deliver the public lecture at Town Hall, Bangalore and engage the broader scientific community in the area. It was pouring rain, and yet we saw the community come together – some travelling for hours in public trains – to join in a celebration of science speaks wonders to the scientific acumen of this city. I had heard Bangalore being the hub of science – now I understand that the success of a city is embedded in an old and deeply cultural fabric. I can’t wait for the next chapter of our journey together in Frugal Science,” said Dr Manu Prakash.

The event drew an enthusiastic audience of over 350 people, including students, teachers, science educators, and members of the wider public- all united by their love for discovery.  A brief question-and-answer segment followed the talk.

“At NCBS, we believe in cultivating curiosity-driven science, because it is the foundation of fundamental research. Foldscope and many such innovations of Manu motivate students to ask interesting questions. Given easy access, affordability and simplicity, those tools are powerful means to educate and inspire a whole generation of students in India,” adds Prof L. S. Shashidhara, Director of The National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru.

The Murty Trust’s annual public talk series continues to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and public understanding. The event reaffirmed the transformative role of accessible, low-cost tools in democratizing science and sparking curiosity across all walks of life.