CSIR Leads Research For Breast Cancer, Anaemia, Parkinson's

The CSIR-CCMB also launched the first-of-its-kind initiative for the development of the Indian Breast Cancer Genomic Atlas (IBCGA) for India-specific cancer resources

New Delhi: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has made significant scientific and research gains in 2024, especially for breast cancer, sickle cell anaemia, and Parkinson's disease in the year 2024, said the Ministry of Science and Technology on Friday.

The CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) and Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Thiruvananthapuram developed a non-invasive blood test for early breast cancer detection.

The low-cost method led to the analysis of MicroRNA (miRNA) signatures in hundreds of cancer samples, identifying 439 miRNAs linked to invasive breast cancer, with 107 as potential biomarkers for different types and stages of the disease, the ministry said.

The CSIR-CCMB also launched the first-of-its-kind initiative for the development of the Indian Breast Cancer Genomic Atlas (IBCGA) for India-specific cancer resources. The Atlas is being developed by mapping nearly 1,000 breast cancer tumor genomes across the country.

The initiative aims to identify molecular features specific to Indian breast cancer cases, which could enhance clinical management and treatment options.

Researchers at the CSIR-CCMB, Hyderabad developed a rapid test identifying sickle cell anaemia -- a group of inherited blood disorders.

The test is an accurate, rapid, and affordable molecular test for screening sickle cell.