Context
Article in ‘The Hindu’ about biobanks and precision medicine.
About Biobanks in Precision Medicine
- Biobanks store biological samples (e.g., blood, DNA, tissues) with genetic data.
- Large, diverse biobanks are essential for inclusive precision medicine.
- Recent studies use biobanks to diagnose rare genetic disorders and develop new therapies.
- Biobanks in India
- 19 registered biobanks house diverse samples including cancer cell lines.
- Genome India program sequenced 10,000 genomes to find treatments for rare diseases.
- The Phenome India project collected 10,000 samples to predict cardio-metabolic diseases.
- The PRaGeD mission (Mission program on Pediatric Rare Genetic Disorders) seeks to identify new genes for pediatric genetic disorders.
Phenome India – CSIR Health Cohort Knowledgebase (PI-CheCK) is an initiative by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), launched in 2023. Objective: to develop India-specific risk prediction models for cardio-metabolic diseases including diabetes, liver diseases, and cardiac diseases.
- Challenges with Biobank Regulations in India
- Many countries have laws ensuring informed consent, privacy, and data protection; India lacks these.
- India’s regulations are inconsistent and have gaps, particularly in participant consent and data handling.
- Lack of transparency
About Precision Medicine:
- Precision medicine – a medical model that uses a person’s genetic, environmental, and lifestyle information to guide medical decisions.
- Precision medicine focuses on personalized healthcare, gaining traction since the Human Genome Project.
- Genomics plays a key role in diagnosing and treating cancers, chronic diseases, immunological, cardiovascular, and liver diseases.
- Technologies like gene-editing and mRNA therapeutics are advancing precision medicine.
- Precision Medicine in India
- The Indian precision medicine market is growing at 16% CAGR, projected to be worth $5 billion by 2030.
- Contributes 36% of the national bioeconomy alongside cancer therapies, gene editing, and biologics.
- The BioE3 policy includes developing precision therapeutics.
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
What is the Cas9 protein that is often mentioned in the news?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]
(a) A molecular scissors used in targeted gene editing
(b) A biosensor used in the accurate detection of pathogens in patients
(c) A gene that makes plants pest-resistant
(d) A herbicidal substance synthesized in genetically modified crops
Answer: (a)
