Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas

The Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas (BCGA) is a pioneering compendium of genetic variants representing the unique genomic landscape of cancers in India. By bridging the gap in genomic data, BCGA empowers healthcare systems and researchers to create targeted solutions that improve outcomes for millions of cancer patients.

Data Portal

Why Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas

Cancer remains one of the leading health challenges globally, and India is no exception. According to recent reports by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the cancer burden in India is alarming:

  • 1 in 9 people in India are likely to develop cancer in their lifetime.
  • Over 14,61,427 people are living with cancer, with an annual increase of 12.8% since 2022.

Despite this growing burden, India has been under-represented in global cancer genome studies. Data-insufficiency on detailed genomic architecture of Indian cancers means critical genetic variants specific to Indian populations are often overlooked in diagnostic tools and drug development efforts.

To address this gap, the Cancer Genome Project was launched in 2020 by the  National Cancer Tissue Biobank  at IIT Madras. This ambitious initiative aims to decode the genomic landscape of cancers prevalent in India.

Comprehensive Study on Breast Cancer

Whole exome sequencing of 958 tumor-normal samples from 479 patients with breast cancer across the country has been completed. The collected data has been anonymised, analysed, and summarised to create the Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas (BCGA). 

Clinical Collaborators:

Breast Cancer ​Data Portal

National Cancer Tissue Biobank

National Cancer Tissue Biobank (NCTB) is a state-of-the-art non-profit community-based tissue bank facility located at the Department of Biotechnology. The first of its kind, NCTB is a joint initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, the Government of India and the Institute that aims to provide researchers with high-quality cancer tissues and patient data, in order to facilitate cancer research that will lead to improvements in cancer diagnosis and treatment. 

The Biobank collects cancer tissue samples with consent from cancer patients along with information about the previous medical history. The samples and information is provided to researchers to facilitate cancer research discoveries that will lead to improvements in cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Join and Enrich the Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas

BCGA also aims to host data from researchers working on cancer genomics across cancer types and would be open to accepting submissions. The data will be utilized towards identifying biomarkers to define high-risk groups, monitor cancer progression, design strategies for personalized treatment, and understand treatment outcomes.

To join in this initaitive, please contact
Prof S Mahalingam at mahalingam[at]iitm[.]ac[.]in

Connect


NCTB IIT Madras
Email: nctb@iitm.ac.in

The Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas is an initiative of IIT Madras in collaboration with   Karkinos Healthcare. 

The  National Centre for Precision Medicine in Cancer  is a joint initiative of IIT Madras and Karkinos Healthcare to accelerate interdisciplinary research and development of affordable cancer care solutions.

The BCGA is maintained at the National Cancer Tissue Biobank at IIT Madras.