R. Prasad

Chennai

Writer at The Hindu

Science journalist with nearly three decades of experience. Ph.D from IIT Bombay @RPrasad12.mstdn.science

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Articles

How will genetic mapping of Indians help? | Explained

1 week ago | thehindu.com | R. Prasad

The story so far: The preliminary findings of the GenomeIndia project, which attempted to study whole genomes of 10,000 healthy and unrelated Indians from 83 population groups, were published in the journal Nature Genetics on April 8. After excluding two populations, the published findings are based on the genetic information of 9,772 individuals — 4,696 male participants and 5,076 female participants. When was it launched?
How will genetic mapping of Indians help? | Explained

1 week ago | flipboard.com | R. Prasad

7 hours ago'We now learn a lot from India': Russian envoy lauds feats India achieved in space explorationRussian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov lauded the ties between India and Russia and said that Moscow is looking forward to welcoming the Indian …16 hours agoSharmila Tagore had stage zero lung cancer, didn’t need chemo: Can this lead to full recovery or can it relapse?
Study finds a shift in peak time of maximum rainfall

1 week ago | thehindu.com | R. Prasad

A study which examined the spatial rainfall trends across India has found that the amount of rainfall per day in certain parts of India has increased during the last decade 2011-2020 compared with the previous decade (2001-2010) while certain other parts have witnessed a reduction in the rainfall amount. The study has used the GSMaP-ISRO data to arrive at this conclusion.
Indigenous TB test can enhance accuracy, speed up testing

1 week ago | thehindu.com | R. Prasad

Researchers at the Thiruvananthapuram-based Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) have developed and tested a novel, cost-effective, real-time LAMP (rt-LAMP) assay for early diagnosis of TB. Much like GeneXpert and Truenat, the rt-LAMP assay too is a molecular test with high sensitivity and specificity. The rt-LAMP assay was able to detect TB DNA even when only 10 copy numbers were present per microlitre in a sample.
Genome study: 180 million genetic variants found in 9,772 individuals

2 weeks ago | thehindu.com | R. Prasad

Preliminary findings of the GenomeIndia project, which genotyped 10,074 healthy and unrelated Indians from 85 populations — 32 tribal and 53 non-tribal populations — across India, were published in the journal Nature Genetics on Tuesday (April 8, 2025). Blood samples were collected from about 20,000 individuals, of which DNA samples from 10,074 individuals were subjected to whole genome sequencing.
Preliminary findings of 10,000 human genome study published

2 weeks ago | thehindu.com | R. Prasad

Preliminary findings of the GenomeIndia project, which genotyped 10,074 healthy and unrelated Indians from 85 populations — 32 tribal and 53 non-tribal populations — across India, were published in the journal Nature Genetics on Tuesday (April 8, 2025). Blood samples were collected from about 20,000 individuals, of which DNA samples from 10,074 individuals were subjected to whole genome sequencing.
FDA uncovers ‘significant’ data falsification by Indian company, rejects all studies

2 weeks ago | thehindu.com | R. Prasad

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified an unspecified number of drug companies that data from all in vitro bioequivalence studies conducted by the Navi Mumbai-based contract research organisation (CRO) Raptim Research Ltd “must be rejected” due to data falsification. The letter mentions that the FDA had identified data falsification for “multiple subjects/samples across multiple studies”.
FDA uncovers ‘significant’ data falsification by Indian company, rejects all studies

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | R. Prasad

6 hours agoColombo, Sri Lanka - April 05, 2025 Members of the Frontline Socialist Party shout anti Indian slogans during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Sri Lankan state visit in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, April 5, 2025.
Why are TB patients’ data shared for receiving nutrition support?

3 weeks ago | thehindu.com | R. Prasad

The Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan launched in 2018, wherein Ni-kshay Mitras can volunteer to provide nutrition support to consented TB patients, is riddled with huge ethical problems. While the guidance document mentions that TB patients’ “consent is for receiving additional [nutrition] support”, TB patients are in effect consenting for something completely different — sharing their data.
U.S. measles cases till March surpasses all of 2024

3 weeks ago | thehindu.com | R. Prasad

Since the first measles case was reported on January 23, 2025 in Texas, the number of cases has risen sharply and the virus has spread to New York City and 17 other States in the U.S. As of March 20, the total number of cases reported across the U.S. stands at 378, with Texas and New Mexico alone reporting 327 and 43 cases, respectively. There have been two deaths so far and both were in unvaccinated individuals.