In a major step towards advancing healthcare in the nation, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, inaugurated India's first National Biobank at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) on July 6, 2025. The state-of-the-art facility will serve as the cornerstone of the "Phenome India" project, a nationwide study aimed at collecting comprehensive health and genetic data to enable a new era of personalized medicine.

The National Biobank will initially gather genetic, lifestyle, and clinical data from 10,000 individuals across the country, creating a foundational database that reflects India's vast diversity. Inspired by the UK Biobank, this initiative is specifically tailored to address the unique health challenges and genetic makeup of the Indian population. The data collected is expected to significantly enhance the early detection of diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart conditions, and pave the way for treatments customized to an individual's genetic profile.

"Today, we hold the promise of a future where every Indian may receive individualised treatment tailored to their genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environment," Dr. Jitendra Singh stated during the inauguration. He emphasized that the move to personalized healthcare is now becoming a reality, driven by indigenous innovation.

The minister highlighted the distinct health issues prevalent in India, such as central obesity, which can increase health risks even in seemingly lean individuals. "Our conditions are complex and deeply heterogeneous. This is where the Biobank becomes vital—it allows us to decode that complexity," he remarked.

The project will also bolster India's growing leadership in advanced scientific fields, including CRISPR-based genome editing for diseases like sickle cell anaemia, quantum technology, and artificial intelligence. Dr. Singh noted that the high-resolution data from the biobank will fuel AI-driven diagnostics and gene-guided therapies, positioning India as a global leader in scientific research.

Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR, described the biobank as a "baby step" with the potential to become a world leader in health research, stressing the importance of capturing the deep diversity of India's communities. Dr. Souvik Maiti, Director of CSIR-IGIB, recounted the institute's pioneering journey in genomics and its ongoing mission to use global technologies to address local health challenges, from rare disorders to COVID-19 and even space biology.

Source: PIB