logo
'National BioBank' holds promise for personalised healthcare for every Indian: Dr Jitendra Singh

'National BioBank' holds promise for personalised healthcare for every Indian: Dr Jitendra Singh

Hans India2 days ago
The country holds the promise of a future where every Indian may receive individualised treatment tailored to their genetic makeup, lifestyle and environment, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, said on Sunday.
He inaugurated the state-of-the-art Phenome India "National Biobank" at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) in the capital. The newly-launched facility marks a significant stride towards building India's own longitudinal health database and enabling personalised treatment regimens in future.
The Biobank 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 the UK Biobank model, the Indian version is tailored to capture the country's unique diversity—across geography, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Researchers believe the initiative will aid early diagnosis, improve therapeutic targeting, and bolster the fight against complex diseases such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular ailments, and rare genetic disorders.
Addressing the scientists and researchers at IGIB, Dr Singh said 'This transition to personalised healthcare is no longer theoretical — it is becoming reality, driven by indigenous innovations.'
Reflecting on the unique health challenges faced by Indians, he noted the high prevalence of central obesity, a risk factor often underestimated.
The minister highlighted past research showing that seemingly lean Indians may carry disproportionate fat around their waist, underlining the need for population-specific health strategies. 'Our conditions are complex and deeply heterogeneous. This is where the Biobank becomes vital—it allows us to decode that complexity,' he said.
He emphasised that India's scientific landscape is evolving rapidly, citing recent advances in quantum technology, CRISPR-based genome editing, and the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
'India is no longer lagging behind — we are among the early adopters, sometimes even ahead,' he said. The Biobank, he added, will complement these efforts by generating the kind of high-resolution data that can power AI-driven diagnostics and gene-guided therapies.
Dr Singh also 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. 'Research must extend beyond the lab — it must find takers in the market and beneficiaries in society,' he noted.
Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR and Secretary, DSIR, commended the launch of the Biobank as a bold step toward India's self-reliance in healthcare data.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

In Gujarat's cities, diets still run on cereals
In Gujarat's cities, diets still run on cereals

Time of India

time37 minutes ago

  • Time of India

In Gujarat's cities, diets still run on cereals

Gandhinagar: In households in Gujarat's cities, cereals may take up less space in the grocery bill, but they still dominate the dinner plate. A new Union govt report shows that cereals, while accounting for just 3.8% of household spending, supply 35% of total calorie intake in cities. In villages, their role is even more dominant, making up 43% of calorie consumption while accounting for 4.5% of total spending. Cereals also account for a major portion of protein intake for people in Gujarat. These insights come from the Centre's latest "Nutritional Intake in India" report, which tracks food patterns and calorie sources across Indian states. The report reveals that Gujarat has seen a modest improvement in overall nutritional intake over the past 15 years, with urban residents gaining an extra 214 calories per day. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad Between 2009-10 and 2023-24, the average per capita daily calorie intake in Gujarat's urban areas increased from 2,096 to 2,310. In rural regions, the increase was more modest, from 2,046 to 2,105 calories per day. Spending patterns show that food still commands a significant portion of monthly expenses. In 2023-24, people in rural Gujarat spent 49.5% of their total expenditure on food, compared to 43.6% in urban areas. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Despite this, cereals continue to be the backbone of both calorie and protein intake. The report highlights the composition of protein sources. In rural Gujarat, 47.3% of protein comes from cereals, 10.6% from pulses, 15% from milk and milk products, 3.6% from eggs, fish, and meat, and 23.5% from other sources. In urban areas, 40.4% of protein comes from cereals, 11.2% from pulses, 16.3% from milk and milk products, 3.6% from animal-based foods, and 28.4% from other items. Nutrition experts say the findings underline Gujarat's continued dependence on cereals, especially in rural areas, despite gradual diversification in urban diets. While the increase in calorie intake is a positive sign, the composition of nutrients remains heavily skewed.

Experts call for inclusion of Chronic Kidney Disease in national NCD programme
Experts call for inclusion of Chronic Kidney Disease in national NCD programme

The Hindu

time2 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Experts call for inclusion of Chronic Kidney Disease in national NCD programme

Hyderabad-based dialysis care network, NephroPlus, has urged policymakers to include Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) screening in India's flagship National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), as it released a white paper highlighting the rising burden of CKD across India and neighbouring countries. Speaking at a media briefing in Hyderabad on Tuesday, NephroPlus Group CEO Rohit Singh said the findings of the white paper and a large-scale screening initiative make a strong case for integrating CKD testing, particularly serum creatinine and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), into existing government-led screenings for hypertension and diabetes. 'The burden is silent but severe. CKD needs to be part of India's NCD strategy immediately,' he said. The paper is based on data from a kidney health screening campaign conducted in the lead-up to World Kidney Day in March. The campaign spanned 30 locations across India, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan, and covered 12 Indian States. A total of 10,501 persons pledged for kidney health awareness, of whom more than 5,000 underwent free serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) tests. NephroPlus found that several Indian States reported high prevalence of CKD risk factors. Jharkhand topped the list, followed by Haryana and Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat and Rajasthan. NephroPlus co-founder Kamal D. Shah stressed the economic and emotional toll of dialysis. 'Dialysis is not just a treatment; it is a lifelong ordeal that drains families physically, emotionally and financially. Our data shows that investing ₹1 in prevention saves ₹10 to ₹15 in future dialysis costs,' he said.

India Successfully Tests Indigenous Anti-Submarine Rocket System
India Successfully Tests Indigenous Anti-Submarine Rocket System

NDTV

time2 hours ago

  • NDTV

India Successfully Tests Indigenous Anti-Submarine Rocket System

New Delhi: India has tested an extended range anti-submarine rocket system that is expected to significantly enhance the Indian Navy's fire power. The user trials of Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ERASR) have been successfully carried out from warship INS Kavaratti from June 23 to July 7, officials said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Indian Navy and the industry involved in development and trials of the system. "He has added that the successful induction of this system will boost the striking power of the Indian Navy," Singh's office said on 'X'. The rocket system is a totally indigenous anti-submarine weapon. "It has twin-rocket motor configuration to meet a wide spectrum of range requirements with high accuracy and consistency," the Indian Navy said. A total of 17 ERASRs were successfully test evaluated at different ranges. All the specified objectives of the trials such as range performance, electronic time fuze functioning and warhead functioning were successfully demonstrated, the Navy said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store