Diabetes biobank, India’s first dedicated facility for diabetes research, has been established in Chennai by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in collaboration with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF). Housed at MDRF, the biobank is designed to collect, process, store, and distribute biological samples to facilitate scientific research with the approval of ICMR. It is expected to play a pivotal role in advancing the understanding of diabetes and related disorders.
According to Dr. V. Mohan, chairman of MDRF and Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialties Centre, the biobank will support advanced research into the underlying causes of diabetes, variations specific to the Indian population, and associated conditions. The repository includes blood samples from two major ICMR-funded studies. These are the ICMR-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study, conducted across all states and Union Territories from 2008 to 2020, and the “Registry of People with Diabetes with Young Age at Onset,” launched in 2006 and still ongoing. The samples represent various forms of diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes, stored for future studies.
The initiative to set up this biobank began approximately two years ago. Its purpose and significance were recently outlined in an article published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research. The article highlights that biobanks are vital for biomedical research as they provide the infrastructure for collecting, processing, and storing biospecimens, which are crucial for scientific advancements.
This diabetes biobank aims to identify novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and contribute to the development of personalized treatment strategies. It will also enable longitudinal studies to monitor the progression of diabetes and its complications over time, ultimately leading to better management and preventive measures. By encouraging collaborative research, the biobank is poised to significantly enhance the understanding of diabetes and support global efforts to combat the disease.
The ICMR-INDIAB study, one of the largest epidemiological studies on diabetes in India, forms a cornerstone of this biobank. Conducted in phases from 2008 to 2020, it involved 1.2 lakh individuals, representing both urban (33,537 participants) and rural (79,506 participants) populations from 31 states and Union Territories.
The biobank draws inspiration from global counterparts, such as the UK Biobank supported by the National Health Service (nhs). The UK Biobank maintains a vast repository of data, including genetic, lifestyle, and health information from 500,000 participants. This resource integrates phenotypic, genomic, and imaging data collected through interviews, questionnaires, and electronic health records, continuously expanding through ongoing assessments.
The establishment of the diabetes biobank underscores the importance of involving private agencies and adopting innovative technologies for cost-effective, long-term specimen storage, preservation, and data sharing. This effort reflects India’s commitment to translating research into practical solutions, further contributing to the fight against the diabetes epidemic.
A study has revealed that less than 10% of Indians engage in recreational physical activity, underscoring the urgent need to promote active lifestyles. Additionally, only 43.2% of the population is aware of diabetes, highlighting the necessity for large-scale awareness and education initiatives.
Rural-to-urban migration has been linked to a higher risk of diabetes and cardiometabolic disorders. The “Registry of People with Diabetes in India with Young Age at Onset” study enrolled 5,546 participants with youth-onset diabetes (49.5% male, 50.5% female) from 205 centers associated with eight regional cancer centers (RCCs) across the country.
Type 1 (T1D) and Type 2 (T2D) diabetes were the most prevalent forms identified. The average age at diagnosis was 12.9 years for T1D and 21.7 years for T2D. Notably, 50% of T1D cases were registered within six months of onset, while 47.3% of T2D cases were registered after three years, with over half of these patients having experienced at least one hospitalization by the time of registration.
