India’s first diabetes biobank, a pioneering initiative by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in collaboration with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF), has been launched in Chennai. This state-of-the-art repository aims to revolutionize diabetes research by storing, processing, and distributing biological samples to support advanced studies on diabetes and its complications.
Located at MDRF, the biobank holds thousands of blood samples collected from major ICMR studies, including the nationwide INDIAB Study and the ongoing Registry of People with Youth-Onset Diabetes. The INDIAB study, covering over 1.2 lakh participants across 31 states and UTs, has revealed alarming data: 10.1 crore Indians are diabetic, while 13.6 crore are prediabetic. It also highlights rising cases of hypertension, obesity, and high cholesterol linked to diabetes.
Dr. V Mohan, Chairman of MDRF, emphasized the biobank’s transformative potential: “This diabetes biobank could help in the identification of novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and the development of personalized treatment strategies.”
The biobank will enable longitudinal studies to track disease progression and complications, fostering breakthroughs in preventive care and management. It also sheds light on critical gaps in awareness, with only 43% of Indians recognizing diabetes as a major health threat. Rural-to-urban migration is identified as a key risk factor, underlining the need for targeted interventions.
Experts stress the importance of involving private agencies to support biobank sustainability through advanced storage technologies and cost-effective data-sharing systems. Globally, biobanks like the UK Biobank, which integrates genetic and lifestyle data from over 5 lakh participants, exemplify the impact such repositories can have in addressing public health challenges.
This initiative marks a significant step in addressing India’s growing diabetes burden and supports the global fight against the epidemic.
