IndiGen Initiative

Explanation :

• The IndiGen initiative was undertaken by CSIR in April 2019, which was implemented by the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Delhi and CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad.
• Called as the IndiGen Genome project, its outcomes will have applications in a number of areas including predictive and preventive medicine with faster and efficient diagnosis of rare genetic diseases.

Aim

• To test if it’s possible to rapidly and reliably scan several genomes and advise people on health risks that are manifest in their gene.
• To understand the variation and frequency of certain genes that are known to be linked to disease.

Benefits

• The project will have applications in a number of areas including predictive and preventive medicine with faster and efficient diagnosis of rare genetic diseases.
• The outcomes of the IndiGen will be utilized towards understanding the genetic diversity on a population scale.
• Other benefits include epidemiology of genetic diseases to enable cost effective genetic tests, carrier screening applications for expectant couples, enabling efficient diagnosis of heritable cancers and pharmacogenetic tests to prevent adverse drug reactions.