IIT Madras (Indian Institute of Technology Madras) unveiled the most detailed 3D high-resolution images of the human fetal brain on Tuesday.
This innovative achievement by the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras marks a significant advancement in brain mapping technology. It positions India as a global leader in this field, as this pioneering work is the first of its kind anywhere in the world.
This research, led by Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, Head of the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras, holds significant importance for India, a country that contributes nearly one-fifth of the world’s annual childbirths, with approximately 25 million births each year, according to sources.
This project received support from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Kris Gopalakrishnan (Distinguished Alumnus of IIT Madras and Co-Founder of Infosys), Premji Invest, Fortis Healthcare, and Agilus Diagnostics. NVIDIA, a leading AI company, collaborated with the center to process the extensive brain data involved in this research.
This work contributes to neuroscience by supporting the development of treatments for brain-related health conditions. It is the first instance of such advanced human neuroscience data being produced in India. The project was completed at less than one-tenth of the cost typically incurred in Western countries.
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), India’s leading technology institution, established the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre in 2022. The center aims to drive a large-scale, multidisciplinary initiative spanning science, technology, computing, and medicine, with a focus on mapping human brains at the cellular level. Its mission is to emerge as a global leader in research and development for human brain studies, contributing significantly to advancements in neuroscience and neurotechnologies.
Implications for Neuroscience and Medicine
The high-resolution images generated through this project are expected to propel advancements in current fetal imaging technologies, enabling early diagnosis and treatment of developmental disorders. Understanding brain development from the fetal stage through childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood is crucial, especially for a country like India, which accounts for nearly one-fifth of the world’s childbirths, with 25 million births annually. This research holds the potential to shed light on developmental disorders such as learning disabilities and autism.
Within just two years, the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre has collected over 200 brain specimens across various types, age groups (including fetal, neonate, young adult, adult, and elderly), and conditions (such as stroke and dementia) from medical institutions across India.
These specimens are being processed into high-resolution digital volumes at the cellular level using the Centre’s advanced imaging platform.
With this capability, the Centre is uniquely positioned to establish itself as a global leader by creating the largest repository of diverse human brain data. This comprehensive database will serve as a valuable global reference for neuroscience research for years to come.
Leadership Perspectives
Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, expressed his delight at India’s leadership in generating human fetal brain maps through the advanced technology developed by IIT Madras’ Brain Centre. He emphasized that this pioneering effort advances scientific knowledge in brain sciences and provides a global resource for researchers worldwide.
Kris Gopalakrishnan, Distinguished Alumnus of IIT Madras and Co-Founder of Infosys, highlighted that this accomplishment reaffirms that Indian research and development can create world-class science and technology.
He noted the success of a unique public-private-philanthropy partnership model and expressed hope that this program inspires more such initiatives in India, garnering private and public support.
Support and Collaboration
The Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre was launched in 2022 to drive large-scale, multidisciplinary efforts in science, technology, computing, and medicine, focusing on mapping human brains at the cellular level. The project received support from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Kris Gopalakrishnan (IIT Madras Distinguished Alumnus and Co-Founder of Infosys), Premji Invest, Fortis Healthcare, Agilus Diagnostics, and NVIDIA, which partnered with the Centre to process the extensive brain data.
Source of Information : https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/health-it/iit-madras-releases-most-detailed-3d-high-resolution-images-of-human-fetal-brain/116171857
