Science & Society

Citizen Science for Response to Epidemics

The Kerala Initiative on Analytics, AI and Open Science for Responding to Epidemics (KAISER) is a citizen science initiative at the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) and supported by multiple educational and research organisations.

The initiative relies on the contributions of voluntary contributions from the community towards creating a unique model for open science for epidemic response. The initiative aims to provide a unique and focussed approach to solving relevant problems through convergence of the best minds, data and algorithms in an open approach.

A citizen science initiative relies on voluntary contributions. The emphasis for participation in such an initiative therefore would not be based on formal qualifications, but strong motivation and commitment to contribute the best of his/her skill sets to the initiative.

സി‌എസ്‌ഐ‌ആർ ഇൻസ്റ്റിറ്റ്യൂട്ട് ഓഫ് ജീനോമിക്സ് ആൻഡ് ഇന്റഗ്രേറ്റീവ് ബയോളജി (സി‌എസ്‌ഐ‌ആർ-ഐ‌ജി‌ഐ‌ബി) യിലെ ഒരു പൗര ശാസ്ത്ര സംരംഭമാണ് കൈസർ

The Bi4S Course has participants from over 40 countries making it a truly global educational initiative on Genomics and Bioinformatics for School Students.

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The IndiGen progarmme and the IndiGenome Card

The IndiGen programme aims to undertake whole genome sequencing of thousands of individuals representing diverse ethnic groups from India. The objective is to enable genetic epidemiology and develop public health technologies applications using population genome data.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has sequenced the entire genomes of 1008 Indians in six months, under a mission that was aimed at demonstrating capability and scalability of Indian research institutions. This initiative, called IndiGen, was undertaken by two CSIR institutions — Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Delhi and Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad.

OPEN MINDS 2020: MIND OVER MATTER

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to share genomic data on a global scale. The genetic variants in the virus genome would allow effective tracing of the origin

The COVID-19 Open Research, Data and Resources is an initiative to make available research and resources at his lab at the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in an open format to ensure they are widely accessible. Scaria’s genome sequencing of the novel coronavirus is now widely used across the world to understand its characteristics.

#GENESCoV2

Genetic Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Kerala

A unique partnership between the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Kerala, National health Mission Kerala, CSIR Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) and various clinical and public health centers in Kerala aimed at providing insights into the genetic epidemiology of COVID-19 in Kerala

Learn more https://genescov2.genomes.in/

ENABLING ACCESS TO GENETIC DISEASE DIAGNOSIS

March 2018: The know-how for 27 genetic tests for diagnosis of prevalent genetic diseases/traits have been licensed to Dr Lal Path Labs one of the largest clinical diagnostic chains in India.

These tests were developed under the Genomics and other Omics to Enable Medical Decisions (GOMED) programme, a unique outreach programme of CSIR-IGIB and funded through a CSIR Fast-Track Translation (FTT) Grant

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More about Dr Lal Path Labs

Rare Disease Diagnostics features in CSIR's top 10 innovations in 2018

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has had an exciting 2018 where India’s first biofuel powered flight, aerospace technology, research in rare diseases, stroke, artificial intelligence and water disinfection have seen a major boost. Ranked 9th in the world, amongst a total of 1,207 government institutions, according to Scimago Institutions ranking, the institute has come a long way. These are ten exciting achievements which are going to take shape in the year 2019.

With 72,611,605 million Indians suffering from rare diseases there is a need for cost effective genetic tests which can be provided to the people. CSIR is working with a private company for licensing of 27 approved genetic tests which can be used commercially and will be launched in 2019.

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/261218/csir-stands-tall-with-10-innovations-in-2018.html

BENCH TO BEDSIDE FOR MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE DIAGNOSIS

April 2016: The know-how for mitochondrial sequence analysis has been transferred to Eurofins Clinical Genetics India Ltd (Subsidiary of Eurofins Scientific, a world leader in testing services).

The product is available in the Indian market.

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More about Eurofins Clinical Genetics India

Next generation Sequencing based approach for diagnosis of Mitochondrial Disorders

The diverse clinical spectrum of diseases manifested by mitochondrial dysfunction demands proper interpretation and analysis of mtDNA variants. mit-o-matic is a tool designed to provide clinically relevant information distributed in disparate resources for understanding and annotating mtDNA variations.

Publication: Vellarikkal et al (2015) Human Mutation

CSIR-IGIB Partners with Genique for Genomic Applications in Rare Genetic Diseases

Though rare genetic diseases are individually rare and encompass a spectrum of over 7000 diseases, together they amount to a significant number in the population. It is estimated that over 300 million people suffer from one or other rare genetic disease in the world. India shares a significant proportion of this, with estimates that it is home to over 30 million people with rare genetic diseases. Without a national programme for genetic diseases, and neonatal screening, many of the diseases remain undiagnosed. The diversity in social, cultural and marriage practices would also mean that many diseases run in families/communities, in some times significantly impairing the social function of the families, apart from the large economic and emotional burden these families/communities go through.

Addressing the problem of Genetic Diseases in India requires concerted efforts involving patients, clinicians researchers and industry.

CSIR IGIB signed an agreement with Genique Lifesciences to develop Genomics solutions for Genetic Diseases

CSIR-IGIB partners with Sanofi Genzyme in the area of Rare Genetic Diseases

Though rare genetic diseases are individually rare and encompass a spectrum of over 7000 diseases, together they amount to a significant number in the population. It is estimated that over 300 million people suffer from one or other rare genetic disease in the world. India shares a significant proportion of this, with estimates that it is home to over 30 million people with rare genetic diseases. Without a national programme for genetic diseases, and neonatal screening, many of the diseases remain undiagnosed. The diversity in social, cultural and marriage practices would also mean that many diseases run in families/communities, in some times significantly impairing the social function of the families, apart from the large economic and emotional burden these families/communities go through.

In furtherence of SANOFI GENZME’s commitment to patients of rare diseases and the CSIR–INSTITUTE OF GENOMICS & INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY‘s aim to initiate a unique research program on Genomics for understanding rare diseases, Sanofi Genzyme, a division of Sanofi-Synthelabo (India) Pvt. Limited hereby agrees to collaborate with the CSIR–INSTITUTE OF GENOMICS & INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY for a partnership in the area of clinical genomics & rare genetic diseases.