IIT Madras Releases Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas to Identify India-Specific Biomarkers

The platform, named the Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas (BCGA), has been made publicly accessible to researchers and clinicians in India and abroad through bcga.iitm.ac.in.

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has released a comprehensive cancer genome database designed to address the lack of India-specific genomic data for cancer research.

The platform, named the Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas (BCGA), has been made publicly accessible to researchers and clinicians in India and abroad through bcga.iitm.ac.in.

The database was launched on World Cancer Day, observed annually on February 4. It currently includes genomic data for paediatric leukaemia, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer—three disease areas with significant clinical and public health relevance in the country.

According to IIT Madras, the BCGA is designed to bridge critical gaps in genomic datasets related to cancers prevalent in the Indian population. India has historically been under-represented in global cancer genome studies, limiting the development of population-specific diagnostics and therapies.

The project forms part of the larger Bharat Cancer Genome Grid (BCG2) initiative and has received principal funding support of Rs 56 crore from the Hyundai Motor India Foundation under its ‘Hyundai Hope for Cancer’ programme.

Highlighting the significance of the initiative, IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti said India continues to face a high cancer burden despite limited representation in global genomic research. He noted that the atlas addresses this disparity by providing a curated collection of genetic variants relevant to multiple cancers in the Indian context. According to him, the database is expected to support early diagnosis, monitoring of disease progression, and informed therapeutic decision-making.

The urgency of developing such a resource is underscored by recent data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which estimates that one in nine people in India is likely to develop cancer during their lifetime. The National Cancer Registry Programme has also reported a 12.8 percent annual increase in cancer incidence since 2022, with nearly 2.5 million people currently living with cancer nationwide.

Prof S Mahalingam, Head of the Hyundai Centre for Cancer Genomics at IIT Madras, said the absence of well-characterised genomic architecture for local cancer populations has previously constrained the development of targeted diagnostic kits and drugs. He added that the BCGA would enable the identification of cancer-specific biomarkers relevant to Indian patients, facilitating earlier detection.

The research involved whole-genome sequencing of patient samples collected from across the country. This process required the standardisation of protocols for sample preservation at minus 196 degrees Celsius using liquid nitrogen.

The initiative is a collaborative effort involving institutions such as Karkinos Healthcare, KK Childs Trust Hospital, and the Institute of Child Health, Chennai. In addition to research, the partnership with Hyundai includes a Rs 3 crore fund to support cancer treatment for low-income families and the deployment of mobile medical units in underserved regions.

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