Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID)
April 11 , 2020 1692 days 873 0
India has shared nine whole genome sequences of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) with the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID).
All these have been shared by the Pune-based National Institute of Virology.
Early in March, India became the fifth country in the world to sequence the genome of the novel Coronavirus, or Covid-19.
With 621, the U.S. has shared the most number of sequences, followed by the U.K. (350), Belgium (253) and China (242).
The CCMB (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology), CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) and IGIB (Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology) are working on genome sequencing of COVID-19.
Genomic sequencing is a technique that allows us to read and interpret genetic information found within DNA or RNA.
It is being done to understand the evolution of the virus.
Sequencing the genome of SARS-CoV-2 will help understand
Where the virus came from.
If there are different strains circulating in India.
How the virus has spread.
GISAID is a public platform started by the WHO in 2008 for countries to share genome sequences.
In 2010 the Federal Republic of Germany became the official host of the GISAID platform.