CCMB part of world’s largest genomic study

Hyderabad: Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) is part of the world’s largest and most diverse genomic study covering 54 lakh individuals, which has identified 12,222 places in human genome that are associated with human height.

The study — ‘A saturated map of common genetic variants associated with human height’ — was published in reputed science journal Nature on October 12. Researchers from across the world, including chief scientist Dr G R Chandak from CCMB, came together to form a consortium to study genetic links to human height. They analysed existing genetic data of 53,80,080 individuals drawn from various parts of the world.

In the course of the genomic study, the researchers identified over 1,200 spots in the human genome that literally dictate the height of humans. The study also paves the way for similar investigations on the impact of genes on other human traits and diseases.

The findings from the path-breaking study have the potential to help researchers worldwide understand how the human body grows. They also enable researchers to understand the increased risk of several diseases such as irregular heartbeat, varicose veins, nerve damage in arms and legs, and bone infections among taller people.

“By conducting one of the largest genomic studies so far in 5.4 million individuals, with a primary focus on common genetic variation, we have provided insight into the genetic architecture of height, including a saturated genomic map of 12,111 genetic associations for height. Our study provides a powerful genetic predictor of height based in individuals of European ancestries and up to 10 per cent in individuals of predominantly African ancestries,” the group of researchers in the study said.

The findings support earlier studies which predicted that 40-50 per cent of height variation among people could be explained by common genetic variants.