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New Delhi: The GenomeIndia Project, launched in 2020 by the Department of Biotechnology, is poised to revolutionize disease diagnosis and treatment in India. This initiative aims to create a comprehensive database reflecting the genetic diversity of the Indian population.
The first phase involved sequencing the genomes of 10,000 individuals, with the data released in January for further research. Preliminary findings, published in Nature Genetics by researchers from over 20 institutes, including the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, highlight the project’s potential.
Kumarasamy Thangaraj, CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, stated that the sequencing included 83 carefully selected population groups across India, representing diverse linguistic groups and geographical regions. The team focused on four major linguistic groups: Indo-European, Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic, and Tibeto-Burman, sampling populations from distinct bio-geographies within broad geographic regions.
The researchers sequenced genomes from approximately 160 unrelated individuals from each non-tribal group and 75 from each tribal group, identifying previously uncaptured genetic variants. Thangaraj noted that the GenomeIndia project’s model will be valuable for future large-scale research projects in the country.
The project’s goal of building a representative dataset aligns with similar efforts like the UK Biobank and those in Europe, aiming to establish a standard ‘Indian reference genome’. Comparing an individual’s genome against this standard can reveal differences and gene variants, forming the basis for genome-wide association studies to understand the genetic basis of diseases and traits.
Ongoing in-depth analysis of the sequenced genomes is expected to provide insights into disease associations and drug metabolism, with findings anticipated to be published in a peer-reviewed journal by the end of the year. The researchers emphasize that the sampling strategy of GenomeIndia is extensive, nuanced, and balanced, considering the ethnic, socio-cultural, geographic, biogeographic, and linguistic diversity of India.
Disclaimer
This article is based on preliminary research findings. Further analysis and peer-reviewed publications are expected to provide more comprehensive insights.
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