Avesthagen embarks on building genetic Parsi database

Bangalore, Mar 21 (UNI) Leading biotechnology company Avesthagen today announced commencement of a Rs 125 crore project that would aim at building a complete genetic, genealogical and medical database of Parsis.

The comprehensive database arising out of this project, would find application in disease prediction and accelerate the development of new therapies and diagnostics. Parsis have been known to contribute towards the good of society at large and were poised to make a momentous contribution, the company said.

Company Founder and Managing Director Dr Villoo Morawala Patell said, ''Avestagenome is a path breaking project which would be instrumental in establishing linkage between genes, disease and environmental factors. It will help us predict diseases and play a catalytic role in development of new therapies and diagnostics.'' Parsi Zoroastrians, who now number about 69,000 in India, are an in-bred population, resulting from the discouragement of inter-community marriages. Such in-bred population are required to more accurately implicate inherited genes for diseases.

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