Genome India Project
Launched in January 2020, GenomeIndia is a national scientific initiative funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Its aim is to sequence the whole genome of 10,000 individuals representing India’s ethnic and geographic diversity. The primary objective is to create a reference genetic map for the Indian population to revolutionize personalized medicine and public health research.
Significance and Need
- India’s Genetic Diversity: With a population of 1.43 billion and over 4,600 endogamous groups, India has unique and underrepresented genetic variation.
- Global Gap: Global genomic databases largely exclude Indian genomes. Findings from Western populations cannot be generalized to Indians.
- Health Implications: Population-specific genetic variations influence disease risk, drug response, and treatment effectiveness.
- Precision Medicine: The project is a foundational step toward tailored healthcare in India.
Achievements So Far
- >19,200 blood samples collected from 99 ethnic groups.
- 10,000 genomes sequenced; data for 7,800 samples archived at IBDC.
- Joint genotyping of 5,750 samples completed—revealing unique and rare genetic variants.
- Many variations found are clinically significant and will guide targeted interventions.
Institutions Involved
GenomeIndia is a collaborative effort involving 20 institutions, categorized by function:
Sample Collection, Sequencing & Analysis Centres
- Centre for Brain Research (CBR), Bengaluru
- CSIR-CCMB, Hyderabad
- CSIR-IGIB, New Delhi
- NIBMG, Kolkata
Sample Collection Centres (Others)
- AIIMS-Jodhpur, GBRC-Gandhinagar, IISER-Pune, IBSD-Imphal, MZU-Aizawl, ILS-Bhubaneswar, RGCB-Thiruvananthapuram, SKIMS-Srinagar, NIMHANS-Bengaluru
Method Development Centres
- IISc, IITD, IITJ, IITM, NCBS, IIIT-Allahabad, CDFD-Hyderabad
Biobanking & Data Archival
- Biobank: Centre for Brain Research, Bengaluru
- Archive: Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC)
Roadmap Ahead
- Joint genotyping of all 10,000 genomes for comprehensive analysis.
- Development of India’s reference genome.
- Enable low-cost genetic diagnostics using custom-designed genetic chips.
- Publishing of a flagship scientific paper summarizing findings.
- Establish specialized working groups for population-specific clinical research.
