Mutation causes changes in DNA and it could be progressive
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Chennai: Asserting that lack of large-scale funding and presence of only a few research institutions was a setback in taking genome sequencing in India to new heights, Sam Santosh, chairman and CEO of MedGenome, called for introducing a national level screening program to eliminate disorders such as Down’s syndrome and muscular dystrophy. On an average about 26 million children are born every year in India.
The government should introduce a program at national level for genetic testing to rule out diseases like Down’s syndrome and muscular dystrophy. “The non-invasive prenatal test could help to isolate many hereditary diseases and helps in breeding health children,” he said.
Asked if prenatal testing could help to find a cure to the above mentioned diseases, he replied it would help in identifying the disease. “There are about 187 genes that play a role in influencing our height. The several thousands of genes in our body are like an orchestra. They play a harmonious tune. Extensive research matched with luxurious funding could help find solutions to many problems,” he told the reporter.
Asked if genome sequencing could predict the diseases that may set in any person, he replied, “We are far from predictive sequencing in India. We still have a long way to go.” Extensive research is needed to address several health issues through genome sequencing.
Decoding the cause for DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid the hereditary material in humans and almost in all other organisms) to mutate could answer several vital questions as to why diseases, especially cancer and genetic disorders, are caused in people. India needs to take up extensive research in genetics to find a cure for many diseases now considered incurable, experts said.
“Though mutation of DNA could be either natural or influenced by factors like environment, exposure to ultraviolet light, the food that we eat can change the way genes are expressed,” said Dr Aarathi Khanna Gupta, Vice President of MedGenome.
“We have not yet been able to get to the bottom of the fact as to what causes cancer. Though CML – a kind of leukemia is fully curable now, thanks to genome sequencing,” she said and added that the focus should be more on encouraging genome sequencing to understand the underlying genetic reasons for diseases in humans.
A genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes. Each genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism. In humans, a copy of the entire genome - more than 3 billion DNA base pairs - is contained in all cells that have a nucleus.
Mutation causes changes in DNA and it could be progressive. The analysis for lung cancer in India is similar to the practice in the west. “Genome sequencing helps to identify the cause and aids in prolonging the life of the patients but we are still far from a solution to eliminating chronic diseases,” she added.
Dr Vijayalakshmi R of Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai, spoke on the integrative meta-analysis of differentially expressed genes in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma at a one-day symposium on genetic diseases: from Mendelian to Malignancies, held under the joint auspices of MedGenome and IIT Madras here on Monday.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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