Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Science & Technology
Why in News?
Recently, The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, along with CSIR and CSIR‑IGIB, held a workshop on Birsa‑101, during the Janjatiya Gaurav Utsav 2026.
- Birsa‑101 – India’s first indigenous CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
- Nomenclature – Named after Bhagwan Birsa Munda, marking his 150th birth anniversary.
- Developed by – CSIR‑IGIB (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology), with support from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- Technological framework – Transferred to Serum Institute of India for manufacturing.
- Key Features - It works like a precise genetic surgery, capable not only of curing Sickle Cell Disease but also transforming treatment pathways for several hereditary disorders.
- Uses engineered enFnCas9, a sharper and safer molecular tool than SpCas9 used in Casgevy.
enFnCas9 – (enhanced Francisella novicida Cas9) is a next-generation CRISPR gene-editing platform engineered for ultra-high specificity and efficiency.
SpCas9 (Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9) is the most widely used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing enzyme.
- Genome‑wide assays showed up to 1,000‑fold fewer off‑target events compared to conventional CRISPR tools.
Genome-wide assays scan an organism's entire DNA sequence at once. This allows scientists to identify genetic mutations, measure gene activity, and map molecular interactions across the whole genome.
- Mechanism of Action
- Direct Root Correction – Birsa 101 corrects the single genetic misprint causing sickle cell disease.
- Stem Cell Editing – The therapy extracts and edits blood-forming stem cells from the patient's bone marrow to fix the defect.
- Permanent Cure – Engrafted cells produce healthy blood for patient’s lifetime subject to long‑term clinical follow‑up.
- Affordability - It is designed to be more affordable than expensive foreign gene therapies like Casgevy and Lyfgenia.
- National Mission – India aims to eliminate sickle cell disease by 2047, heavily focusing on tribal welfare across critical belts like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.
Quick Facts
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Sickle Cell Disease
- A hereditary blood disorder caused by a single typo in the genetic code.
- Red blood cells twist into a crescent or sickle shape, clogging blood vessels.
- Leads to oxygen starvation of organs, painful crises, and long‑term damage to heart, lungs, and kidneys.
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CRISPR
- It is a revolutionary gene‑editing technology, works like molecular scissors (Cas9 protein) guided by RNA to cut defective DNA.
- The cell repairs itself using a corrected DNA sequence.
- Enables scientists to locate and fix errors in DNA with extraordinary precision.
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References
- India Education Diary | Birsa 101
- ORF | Birsa 101
- India Today | Birsa 101
