The consortium called Indian Genome Variation(IGV) consortium (initiated by the Govt of India in 2003 ) of six CSIR laboratories intiated a network program on predictive medicine using repeats and single nucleotide polymorphisms.
Predictive medicine is the use of information about the Human genome to improve human health.Although more than 99% of human DNA sequences are the same across the population, variations in DNA sequence can have a major impact on how humans respond to disease; environmental insults such as bacteria, viruses, toxins, and chemicals; and drugs and other therapies.
The consortium validated SNP's and repeats in 1000 genes (genes linked to common diseases) of 15,000 individuals from well defined ethnic groups of India.
How do they identify the populations genetically for the study in complex and diverse Indian population ?
What are the strategies adopted to validate SNP's in the genes selected?
How do they manage and analyse the datas from the analysis using varied equipments and centres across india.?
More on the Project Overview here.
It would be great resource that catalogues the common patterns of genetic variation in important complex disease candidate genes.It will enable a lot in Predictive medicine and targeted drug therapies.
Hats off to Indian scientists for acheiving this feat.