Biobanks in Developing Countries: Needs and Feasibility
S. K. Sgaier,P. Jha,P. Mony,A. Kurpad,V. Lakshmi,R. Kumar,N. K. Ganguly
Science 16 November 2007:
Vol. 318. no. 5853, pp. 1074 - 1075
DOI: 10.1126/science.1149157
Futuristic biobanks
Neelam Pereira
CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 95, NO. 3, 10 AUGUST 2008
Human DNA Repository of Indian Population
This article talks about a private company LuVita trying to establish a biobank in India. No information about such a company is available on google. Check out Nowgen digest number 9 which talks about this and also 12 DNA repositories in India.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Neurological and Psychiatric BioBank
Dear All,
Recently I was speaking to Dr. Subbalakshmi, resident Neurologist at National Brain Research Centre, India and one of the topics of discussion was establishing a National Biobank specifically for Neurological and Psychiatric diseases.
Since 2007, ICMR is contemplating on establishing a biobank using DBS (dried blood samples) but concentrating on women, infectious diseases, cancer. It is carrying out feasibility surveys and the cost would be $10 per son thats nearly 500 rupees per person. SNP analysis is a possible and attainable goal of DBS collection.
However, we know that many genetic disorders exist in India and have the potential to give unique understanding of normal physiology of human being. Gene hunting in India is slowly catching up. In the neuroscience field, recent work by IISc and NIMHANS scientists, JNCASR and NIMHANS researchers has been a matter of joy. There is however a dire need for establishing a DNA collection facility for many of Neurological diseases and psychitric diseases. Consanguinous marriages in India is unfortunately still a reality, but rather than cursing it we can collect samples from such patients and establish a biobank.
India, being home of 100 crore+ people has not yet established a affordable and accessible genetic testing centre nationwide and people need to depend on private establishments totally. If health is the government concern, then it should come forward to deliver superior quality genetic testing. If we keep on thinking, genetic testing is a luxury compared to providing sanitation, drinking water and food, then we would still be 20 years behind all other nations including Mexico.
The point is it is possible to give genetic testing facility to common people at the same time accumulating biological samples for superior research, which can be done HERE in India. It has to be regional, probably state wise and a National centre to co-ordinate the regional ones. Many of the neurodegenerative cases, neurodevelopmental disorder cases are sent home with infused despair from esteemed neurological instituetes because treating neurologist would find no use in making their money go waste. They are right on their ethical stand point, but how long we keep this attitute. If India needs to be best in research we need to have that attitute, attitute with eagerness to learn, to establish the cause to the core, to find something new.
Also I feel, if we have a neurological and psychiatric diseases bank, we can help our own home grown researchers to gene hunt, to find out the cause and to get connected with the disease. How many basic scientists in India have seen even common diseases like Alzheimers, Parkinsons? Hardly countable number..but they still talk a lot about that disease, mainly because they have read about such diseases all through western media. WE in India have such diseases, people suffer and we do have world class physicians, scientists in biological field who work on them. We need not look at west all the time to connect ourselves with research. By giving, INDIAN biological samples it can be hoped that they connect well the disease they plan to study.
Biobank is not a new concept. Biobanks exist in USA, UK, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Mexico and other countries. There are disease specific biobanks too, like Alzheimers, Psoriasis. Neurological and psychitric disease biobank exists in Hungary.
So, when are having it? I hope Dr. Ganguly, Dr. Tandon are listening to me!!!
Recently I was speaking to Dr. Subbalakshmi, resident Neurologist at National Brain Research Centre, India and one of the topics of discussion was establishing a National Biobank specifically for Neurological and Psychiatric diseases.
Since 2007, ICMR is contemplating on establishing a biobank using DBS (dried blood samples) but concentrating on women, infectious diseases, cancer. It is carrying out feasibility surveys and the cost would be $10 per son thats nearly 500 rupees per person. SNP analysis is a possible and attainable goal of DBS collection.
However, we know that many genetic disorders exist in India and have the potential to give unique understanding of normal physiology of human being. Gene hunting in India is slowly catching up. In the neuroscience field, recent work by IISc and NIMHANS scientists, JNCASR and NIMHANS researchers has been a matter of joy. There is however a dire need for establishing a DNA collection facility for many of Neurological diseases and psychitric diseases. Consanguinous marriages in India is unfortunately still a reality, but rather than cursing it we can collect samples from such patients and establish a biobank.
India, being home of 100 crore+ people has not yet established a affordable and accessible genetic testing centre nationwide and people need to depend on private establishments totally. If health is the government concern, then it should come forward to deliver superior quality genetic testing. If we keep on thinking, genetic testing is a luxury compared to providing sanitation, drinking water and food, then we would still be 20 years behind all other nations including Mexico.
The point is it is possible to give genetic testing facility to common people at the same time accumulating biological samples for superior research, which can be done HERE in India. It has to be regional, probably state wise and a National centre to co-ordinate the regional ones. Many of the neurodegenerative cases, neurodevelopmental disorder cases are sent home with infused despair from esteemed neurological instituetes because treating neurologist would find no use in making their money go waste. They are right on their ethical stand point, but how long we keep this attitute. If India needs to be best in research we need to have that attitute, attitute with eagerness to learn, to establish the cause to the core, to find something new.
Also I feel, if we have a neurological and psychiatric diseases bank, we can help our own home grown researchers to gene hunt, to find out the cause and to get connected with the disease. How many basic scientists in India have seen even common diseases like Alzheimers, Parkinsons? Hardly countable number..but they still talk a lot about that disease, mainly because they have read about such diseases all through western media. WE in India have such diseases, people suffer and we do have world class physicians, scientists in biological field who work on them. We need not look at west all the time to connect ourselves with research. By giving, INDIAN biological samples it can be hoped that they connect well the disease they plan to study.
Biobank is not a new concept. Biobanks exist in USA, UK, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Mexico and other countries. There are disease specific biobanks too, like Alzheimers, Psoriasis. Neurological and psychitric disease biobank exists in Hungary.
So, when are having it? I hope Dr. Ganguly, Dr. Tandon are listening to me!!!
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