Students from MCOPS, MAHE secured top positions among 46 competing teams at the Manipal BioPharma Hackathon 2026, showcasing outstanding innovation, translational thinking, and real-world problem-solving in the biopharma domain. The First Prize (shared) was awarded to Team OroSolvs, comprising Ms. Anoushka Mukharya and Ms. Shreeya Mutalik, for developing a cost-effective, patient-friendly gargle formulation designed to manage oral complications in chemo and radiotherapy patients, thereby improving quality of life. The Second Prize (shared) went to Team µFlow (Microflow), represented by Ms. Japman Kaur and Ms. Wariyar Shreeya Ajay, for creating an innovative diagnostic platform that transforms a passive biological process into an active health-monitoring tool aimed at advancing women’s healthcare. The Third Prize (shared) was secured by Team PashuMitra — Ms. Akanksha Dessai, Mr. Megh Vithalkar Pravin, Ms. Devika Sajeev, and Ms. Swathika R — for designing a biosensor-integrated cattle health monitoring system with a mobile interface for early disease detection and improved livestock management. Special Mentions were awarded to Team Peptide Pioneers (Ms. Barshana Bhattacharya and Mr. Manjunath Pavadappa Madalageri) for a self-assembling peptide drug-conjugate nanoparticle enabling targeted cancer therapy with controlled intracellular release and reduced toxicity; Team MedA (Mr. Shivapranav S and Mr. Jeroham Lloyd) for proposing a novel “disarm, don’t kill” strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance without inducing resistance; and Team SJCP (Akash Jose K) for developing a machine learning-driven approach to enhance antimicrobial resistance surveillance through early prediction and proactive mitigation. These achievements reflect the scientific excellence, innovation, and entrepreneurial mindset nurtured at MCOPS.