Workshop held on 14th May 2026 at CSIR-IGIB, New Delhi under Janjatiya Garima Utsav 2026 celebrations
Ministry of Tribal Affairs provided financial assistance of approximately Rs. 3.75 crores for the project
BIRSA 101 is India's first indigenous CRISPR-based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)
Technology framework transferred to Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. for collaborative clinical and manufacturing development
Project aims to eliminate Sickle Cell Disease which disproportionately affects tribal populations
Workshop included presentations on major scientific initiatives: Ayurgenomics research, GUaRDIAN initiative for rare genetic disorders, Indian Breast Cancer Genome Atlas (IBCGA), PHENOME India, Indian gut microbiome studies, and India's genomic response during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic
Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) work presented for preserving India's traditional medicinal knowledge systems including tribal knowledge traditions
Indian gene-editing initiative progress traced since 2017
Workshop covered phased progress of clinical trial infrastructure and regulatory processes
Secretary and officials visited GMP manufacturing facility associated with the initiative
