BHARAT Study

Prelims: Current events of National and International Importance | science and technology.

Why in News?

Recently, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has launched the BHARAT study under its Longevity India Program.

Longevity IndiaPrograme is a initiative launched by IISc in 2024 to support ageing research in India.

• BHARAT – It stands for Biomarkers of Healthy Aging, Resilience, Adversity, and Transitions.
• Aim – It is the pan-India research that aims to create the country's first comprehensive database to understand ageing patterns unique to the Indian population.
• It will be identified through identification of biological, physiological, environmental, and lifestyle factors that influence healthy ageing among Indians.
• Bharat baseline development – It will create India's first population-specific database defining "normal" health parameters for Indians.
• The reference values tailored to Indian genetic, socio-economic, and environmental conditions.

Key Features of BHARAT Study

• Multi-Omics analysis – Comprehensive biological profiling, including,
  • Genomics – Detection of disease-linked genetic variants.
  • Proteomics – Analysis of serum proteins.
  • Metabolomics – Study of metabolites indicating health status.
  • Lipidomics – Examination of lipid composition.
  • Epigenomics – Exploration of gene expression regulation.
  • Metagenomics – Gut microbiome analysis.
• Health assessment – Physical examinations to track functional decline and cognitive tests to monitor mental health.
• It will also do immune system analysis for resilience indicators.
• Lifestyle & environmental factors – Mapping of diet patterns, physical activity, and environmental exposures.
• AI and Machine Learning integration – Use of AI to analyse complex, multi-dimensional datasets.
• Simulation of interventions to predict their impact on ageing and health outcomes.

Significance of BHARAT

• It provides reliable, Indian-specific health benchmarks.
• It enables early detection of age-related diseases.
• It helps design better diagnostics and treatments for Indians.
• It bridges the gap between global research and India's healthcare needs.
• It positions India at the forefront of global ageing and longevity research.

Reference

The Hindu| The Indian Institute of Science launches BHARAT study