According to Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology, the Genome India Project, a Center-backed programme to sequence 10,000 Indian human genomes and build a database, is nearly two-thirds complete. (DBT).
Nearly 7,000 genomes have been sequenced, and 3,000 of these are presently accessible to the general public and scholars. We anticipate finishing the sequencing of all 10,000 genomes by the end of the year," Mr. Gokhale said on Friday at a conference hosted by the Association of Biotech-Led Enterprises (ABLE), an industry association.
The initiative involves about 20 institutions across India, although analysis and coordination are handled by the Centre for Brain Research at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
Over 4,600 demographic groupings make up the 1.3 billion people in India, many of which are endogamous. The genetic diversity of the contemporary population is a result of these influences. As a result, there are distinctive differences within the Indian population, and numerous disease-causing mutations are frequently amplified among some of these populations. According to a disclaimer from the IISc, results from population-based or disease-based human genetics studies from other groups around the world cannot be generalised to Indians.
By compiling a database of Indian genomes, researchers from around the world will be able to learn about genetic variations that are specific to India's population groupings and utilise that information to tailor treatments and medications. Among the nations with plans to sequence at least 100,000 of their genomes are the United States, China, and the United Kingdom.
