India has launched its first diabetes biobank in Chennai, a major step towards understanding and tackling one of the country’s most pressing health concerns. This unprecedented initiative is a collaboration between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF).

The biobank is set to become a leading resource for researchers and healthcare professionals, enabling deeper insights into diabetes.

Why is this biobank important?

India has more than 10 crore diabetes cases and 13.6 crore prediabetes cases, some of the highest numbers in the world. Despite the widespread impact of diabetes, the country lacks a large-scale repository of biological samples that can help study the disease.

The new Diabetes Biobank changes that. By storing biological samples from across India, the biobank will help scientists study the genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors behind diabetes. This could lead to better treatments, better prevention strategies, and more targeted treatments for those affected.

What makes this biobank unique?

The biobank houses more than 1.5 lakh biological samples collected from different regions and communities across India. These samples will help researchers understand the patterns of diabetes, especially its variations among Indians. The initiative is based on two important studies published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research:

ICMR-IndiaB study: The largest study on diabetes in India, covering people from both urban and rural areas.

ICMR-YDR Study: It is the first national registry of its kind that focuses on early-onset diabetes.

The findings of these studies already highlight worrying trends in India’s health scenario. For example, more than 31 crore Indians suffer from hypertension (a severe case of high blood pressure), while obesity and lipid disorders are also on the rise.

How does it matter?

The biobank will store samples such as blood, tissues and DNA under highly monitored conditions. These samples are carefully cataloged and tracked, ensuring their quality for research purposes.

MDRF Biobank follows strict ICMR guidelines to ensure accuracy and reliability.

India has several biobanks dedicated to advancing biomedical and health research in areas such as cancer, genetics and liver diseases. Prominent examples include the National Cancer Tissue Biobank in Chennai, the National Liver Disease Biobank in New Delhi, NIMHANS in Bengaluru and Sapien Biosciences in Hyderabad. Despite this, diabetes-specific biobanks are rare, highlighting the urgent need given the increasing burden of diabetes in India.

The MDRF Biobank addresses this gap by containing more than 1,50,000 biological samples, providing critical data for research on the genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that promote diabetes. Such well-structured biobanks can enhance scientific knowledge and help reduce health care costs in the long term.

Biobanks play an important role in biomedical research by offering high-quality biological materials that promote advances in personalized medicine.

They ensure efficient sample collection, storage and reproducibility, enabling long-term and large-scale studies. However, challenges such as high operational costs, ethical concerns over consent and privacy, and logistical constraints remain significant hurdles.

MDRF Biobank follows ICMR guidelines and uses advanced tracking systems to manage its reserves effectively. With future plans of automation using AI and robotics, the investment in biobank infrastructure promises to accelerate diabetes research, improve treatment outcomes and contribute to the broader health research ecosystem in India.

What can India learn from other biobanks?

Globally, biobanks have played a huge role in advancing medical research. For example, the UK Biobank, which has data on 5 lakh participants, has contributed to thousands of scientific discoveries. Similarly, biobanks in the US, China and Europe focus on cancer, genetics and rare diseases.

India’s Diabetes Biobank is a much-needed contribution to these efforts.

While biobanks are important for research, they also bring challenges. Maintaining samples requires significant funds, infrastructure, and skilled personnel. Ethical issues such as ensuring informed consent and confidentiality are equally important.

With diabetes cases on the rise, India’s first diabetes biobank is an important step towards improving health care. By providing a central hub for biological samples, the biobank will accelerate research, helping scientists find better treatments and preventive measures for millions of Indians.