India's first National Biobank and a Longitudinal Population Data Study was launched by the Union Minister at CSIR-IGIB, New Delhi

What does the National Biobank entail?

A centralized, high-definition genomic and clinical database reflecting India’s ethnic, lifestyle, and health variations.

A segment of Phenome India, an ongoing cohort study aimed at monitoring disease trends and gene-environment interactions over the years.

Created By:

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB)

Backed by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India

Objectives:

Create a health database tailored to India's specific population needs.

Facilitate tailored therapeutic plans according to genetic profiles.

Enable diagnostics driven by AI and therapies guided by genetics.

Enhance studies on rare diseases, antimicrobial resistance, cancer, diabetes, and heart diseases.

Main Characteristics:

Gathers genomic, lifestyle, and clinical information from more than 10,000 people nationwide.

Motivated by the UK Biobank, yet customized for the diverse geography, caste, ethnicity, and socio-economic circumstances of India.

Facilitates ongoing health monitoring to assess disease vulnerability, treatment effectiveness, and environmental impact.

Importance:

Ensures India’s independence in healthcare and genomic information systems.

Facilitates individualized medicine and proactive healthcare in public systems.

Enables CSIR and IGIB to create affordable local CRISPR treatments.