DEEP: CCMB joins hands with 20 global research groups to study genetics of NCDs

Hyderabad: To improve overall global health, CSIR-CCMB (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology) is collaborating with 20 international research groups for an Integrated Genomics and Epigenomics study to understand the genetics behind various non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among different population groups.

This collaborative project called ‘Diverse Epigenetic Epidemiology Partnership’ (DEEP) aims to unravel the effects of genomic and environmental diversity in disease risk variations observed across the global population. The 20 research groups from institutions worldwide will provide knowledge and data on more than 13,000 participants from four continents – Asia, Africa, and North and South America.

For this groundbreaking five-year project, a fund of 2.5 million GBP (over Rs 25 crores) was recently sanctioned by the Medical Research Council, UK. It will explore key population health questions using datasets from across the four continents. The study is led by researchers from CSIR-CCMB in India, the University of Bristol, UK, the MRC Unit, The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London.

Disease symptoms and onset vary as per geographical regions

In the wake of the current scenario, where NCDs like diabetes, cardiovascular ailments, and mental disorders are on the rise throughout the world, especially in India and other South Asian countries, it is observed that there is a huge variation in disease onset and symptoms for people living in different parts of the world.

Why the study leaves out European population

Much of the population health research conducted to date has drawn heavily on data collected from people of white European origins and current DNA databases are mainly European. This means that many global communities are often under-represented in health studies and the important effects of genetic and environmental diversity on health within those communities can be missed, which is especially true for Indians (South Asians) and Africans. Genetic databases for genomic research need diversity to help all people and to get a better understanding of the diseases.

Role of epigenetics (How the genes react to different environments and behavior)

CSIR-CCMB’s studies have provided persistent evidence of the different genetic structures of Indians and their implications for common diseases like Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, etc. Further, they have also shown the role of the environment, especially micronutrients like vitamin B12, folates, etc. in modifying the disease risk through epigenetic regulation, a new paradigm in understanding disease risk and management.

DNA methylation (DNAm), a type of epigenetic modification (reversible effects in the genes’ functioning based on an individual’s behavior and environment), helps the body to respond to environmental signals. Understanding the relationships between DNAm, genetics, and environment is essential for understanding the pathways of health and disease and disease consequences.

Dr Giriraj R Chandak, Sir J C Bose Fellow at the CSIR-CCMB, and the co-Principal Investigator of the study has been working for the last two decades using multiple cohorts to understand how the genetic basis for NCDs in Indians is responsible for clinical peculiarities and how the risk can be modulated by targeted approaches including nutrition such micronutrients.

Dr Chandak said, “This collaborative study involving scientists with varied expertise provides a unique opportunity to understand gene-gene and gene-environment interaction and their role in intermediate traits associated with non-communicable diseases or the disease itself.”

The purpose of the study

The DEEP study researchers will study individuals representing diverse genetic and environmental contexts and learn which DNA methylation patterns contribute to their disease risks. This research will enable the identification of disease-causing mechanisms that are common worldwide and those that are unique to particular groups or regions. It will help with answering questions such as whether medicines developed in one part of the world will be effective for all. Ultimately, the DEEP study hopes to enable targeted interventions or treatments and reduce global health disparity and inequity.