Gujarat Launches Sports Genomics Programme to Create Athlete Genome Database

Key facts

• Gujarat has launched India's first state-level Sports Genomics Programme for athlete development.
• The programme is led by the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) under the state's Department of Science and Technology.
• It is a five-year initiative aiming to collect approximately 10,000 athlete samples, at a rate of 2,000 samples per year.
• The programme will create a Gujarat Athlete Genome Database combining genomic, physiological, and performance data.
• It will study genetic markers associated with endurance, power, training response, recovery, and injury susceptibility.
• Initial samples have been collected from tennis athletes, with planned expansion to sports like archery, fencing, judo, and shooting.
• The initiative is strategically important for Gujarat's preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.