-B Swaminathan
In a move to focus on health protection, study of critical genetic problems and increasing productivity of the primary sector, Kerala Genome Data Centre (KGDC) is all set to take shape, an initiative first of its kind in Asia.
The Genome Data Centre, which is being set up with the aim of curating and publishing genome data by following models existing at the international level, would become a critical step in medical research and healthcare. As per experts in the field of Genomic studies, KGDC and the microbiome initiative will power the state’s advancement and health sector.
The project would require an investment of ₹500 crores in the next five years and the State government had already allotted ₹50 crore in the current financial year. Experts say that it can influence the developments happening in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture and bioinformatics.
The KGDC which is established under the Kerala Development and Innovative Strategic Council (K-DISC) is planning to establish a high-capacity data centre to harness the power of genomic data and the rich biodiversity of Kerala. The centre will serve as a hub for researchers, healthcare professionals and public health officials to access and share genomic data. The data would be collected from a variety of sources including humans, animals, plants and environmental samples, and would be used to better understand disease transmission, identify new treatments and therapies and monitor the emergence of new diseases.
The Genome Data Centre would require the development of standards for data collection, analysis and the ethical guidelines to ensure the responsible use of sensitive data. “Kerala has over 125 life sciences institutions which have been mostly working in silos. We are hoping that KGDC can be the data backbone that will bring all these institutions together. Kerala also has a large number of educational institutions that can create the core human resources needed. The revolution in Biology was kickstarted by Genome sequencing and now has the power of editing genes and even creating new genomes (synthetic biology) is triggering a new wave. I call this the ’Biowave’. Gene editing will enable us to cure many diseases permanently. It will also empower us to breed better plants that have a higher yield, more pest resistance, and need lesser fertilizers. Through synthetic biology, we can create microbes that can sequester carbon (reducing global warming), consume plastics, and wastes, and clean up oil spills”, said Sam Santhosh, the architect of KGDC
How does the project help Kerala?
The project is set to attract large companies as well as start-ups to create units in Kerala. The Data centre whose operations will begin in the next two months is set to improve the healthcare of the people of the state through better prediction and personalized medicine. As per the architects of the project Sam Santhosh, the centre will help the research organizations in the state create better agricultural crops with higher yield, pest resistance and suitable to local climatic conditions. The centre will also assist in animal husbandry by breeding better varieties and developing adequate diagnostics and vaccines.
The KGDC is expected to build a path for Kerala’s biosecurity by introducing a set of practices that are designed to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful organisms, including viruses, bacteria and other pathogens that can affect human, animal and plant health. “It is a very important project in developing the bio informatics skill set to analyse our genomic sequences. Basically, it is a facility which everyone can use and analyse and it is indeed a right step forward. In fact, human genetic data can give us the most value. However, there are many issues to consider when collecting, storing and sharing human genetic data with regard to privacy, ethics and our rights. So, we will have to carefully consider all this and draw the necessary guidelines to include human genetic data also in KGDC”, said Dr Padmanabha Shenoy, Immunologist and the Founder of Dr Shenoy’s Care Hospital, Ernakulam.
“This is a great initiative for a healthy future. The government has good infrastructure and facilities that should be utilized for such centres.The manpower and technologies at the Rajiv Gandhi center for Biotechnology should be utilized for the Genome data center”, said Dr Sandhya KS, Chief Executive Officer, SK Hospitals.
However Dr Sandhya also said that all protocols should be adhered to while collecting the samples..”The sample collection from individuals should be done with the prior permission. Moreover the role of non-research hospitals should be very clear. The antibiotic policy should be strictly adhered to prevent large scale antibiotic resistance. Most important, the incidence of rare diseases, genetic diseases and infections should be tracked promptly, reported and prognosis can be pursued”, Dr Sandhya added.
Genomic data is also revolutionizing new fields like synthetic biology and bio-manufacturing. By understanding the genetic basis of the biological processes’ researchers are able to engineer cells to produce desired products or optimize production of existing products. In synthetic biology, genomic data is used to design new biological systems with novel functions, while in bio-manufacturing, it is used to optimize production of biological products.
According to Dr Krishnanunny, Chairman, Renai Medcity, Ernakulam, “Genomics is definitely going to revolutionise the technology in healthcare also. It will totally transform the approach in treating a patient with personalised treatment plans tailored to each individual’s genetic makeup for the best patient outcome. Moreover it will help in predictive testing which will foretell an individual’s risk of developing certain diseases later in life including cancer. It will help in improved diagnosis of genetic disorders through genomic sequencing.Drug development, agriculture and environmental science also is going to make a sea change with the advancement in genomics”
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