Syllabus: 

GS3: Science and Technology - Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life.

Context: 

Recently, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, inaugurated the Phenome India National Biobank and the country’s first longitudinal population health study. 

More on the News

• It has been launched under Phenome India Project.

• It is a major step towards creating India’s health database and advancing personalised treatment.

• The pan-India longitudinal study was conducted with an aim to develop an enhanced prediction model for cardio-metabolic disease, especially diabetes, liver diseases and cardiac diseases.

• These tools are expected to transform clinical decision-making, support public health policy and optimise resource allocation in India’s overburdened healthcare system. 

Key Features of the National Biobank

• It will serve as the backbone of a nationwide cohort study, collecting comprehensive genomic, lifestyle, and clinical data from 10,000 individuals across India.

• Drawing inspiration from UK’s Biobank Model, Indian version is tailored to capture the country’s unique diversity across geography, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds. 

• The initiative will support early diagnosis, targeted treatments, and better management of diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, and rare genetic disorders.

Phenome India Project

• Also known as Phenome India-CSIR Health Cohort Knowledgebase (PI-CHeCK), is a flagship initiative by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in India launched in 2023. 

• It focusses to assess risk factors in Non-communicable (cardio-metabolic) Diseases within the Indian populace.

• It aims to create a comprehensive phenome database tailored to the Indian population, promoting a Predictive, Personalised, Participatory, and Preventive (P4) healthcare model. 

• It will help scientists uncover disease patterns, gene-environment interactions, and response to therapies all within the Indian context.

Health challenges 

• High prevalence of central obesity: Past research has shown that seemingly lean Indians may carry disproportionate fat around their waist, underlining the need for population-specific health strategies.

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR): AMR occurs when microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve mechanisms that allow them to survive and multiply in the presence of drugs designed to kill or inhibit them. 

• CRISPR research and the AMR fight show India’s growing leadership in biotech. The Biobank will boost these efforts by providing high-resolution data for AI diagnostics and gene-based therapies.
• The Union Minister called for deeper collaboration between research institutions, government departments like the Department of Biotechnology, and industry partners, particularly in areas such as AMR and drug development. 

CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology (IGIB)

• CSIR-IGIB is a premier Institute of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), engaged in research of national importance in the areas of genomics, molecular medicine, bioinformatics and proteomics.

• It is the first institute in India to begin decoding the human genome at a time when sequencing tools were practically non-existent. 

• IGIB’s research now extends to domains like space biology and AI-based pilot fitness assessments in collaboration with the Indian Air Force.

• Achievements: 

• Development of over 300 genetic diagnostics for rare disorders.
• Extensive work on COVID-19 genome sequencing.
• The launch of India’s first drug genome project.

Sources: PIB

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2142726