The Department of Biotechnology has successfully finished 10,000 genome testing, which will help shape global healthcare policy in the future.
Union Minister for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh applauded the news on Tuesday that 10,000 Indians from different backgrounds have had their genomes mapped. The goal of this effort is to create a database that could one day lead to gene-based medication. The result of this achievement is a thorough genetic map of India, which has enormous promise for scientists and doctors.
The research is being coordinated by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad, with about 20 Indian institutions participating.
What is the project?
The creation of the first human genome sequence was the primary objective of the historic global research project known as the Human Genome Project. A genomic sequence covering more than 90% of the human genome was created in 2003 by the Human genomic Project. It was as near-complete as DNA sequencing technologies could make it at the time.
The government gave the Genome India project approval in 2020 with the intention of compiling an exhaustive list of genetic variants present in the Indian population. Understanding the genetic basis of diverse diseases, tracing the course of human evolution, and developing fresh therapies all depend on a map of genetic variety. Since Indian genomes are expected to differ from those of other populations, this cannot be accomplished using the data found in currently available international databases.
In addition, this map will generate a unique resource as there are about 4,600 population groups in India, home to 1.3 billion people, many of whom practice endogamy. The genetic diversity of the present population is the result of these processes. Because of this, the Indian population is diverse, and genetic variations that cause diseases are often increased in some of these populations. The genetic diversity of the present-day population has been affected by these factors.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.