India’s First Diabetes Biobank

Key Features of the Biobank

• The diabetes biobank is a repository of biological samples collected from different populations to aid scientific research. It is designed to:
  • Collect, process, store, and distribute biospecimens to support ongoing and future studies.
  • House blood samples for various forms of diabetes, including Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.

About Diabetes:

• Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin or when the body cannot use insulin effectively. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood glucose levels.
• If the body fails to produce or use insulin properly, it results in high blood glucose levels, a condition known as hyperglycemia. Over a long period, hyperglycemia can cause significant damage to various organs and tissues.
• Diabetes is a major cause of critical health conditions such as blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower limb amputations.
• Epidemiological Study on Diabetes in India: This study, conducted between 2008 and 2020, sampled 1.2 lakh individuals across the country. The participants included 33,537 urban residents and 79,506 rural residents from 31 states and Union Territories.

Types of Diabetes:

• Type 1 Diabetes: It is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body produces very little or no insulin.
  • Patients with Type 1 diabetes require daily administration of insulin to keep their blood glucose levels under control.
  • This condition is usually diagnosed in children and young adults and was earlier referred to as juvenile diabetes.
  • The common symptoms of Type 1 diabetes include: Excessive urination (polyuria), Extreme thirst (polydipsia), Constant hunger, Unexplained weight loss, Vision changes, Fatigue
• Type 2 Diabetes: It results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin, even though it may produce the hormone.
  • This type of diabetes accounts for more than 95% of all diabetes cases globally.
  • The primary causes of Type 2 diabetes are excess body weight and lack of physical activity.
  • The symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are often less severe compared to Type 1. Therefore, the disease may remain undiagnosed for several years, leading to delayed treatment.
• Gestational Diabetes (GDM): GDM refers to high blood glucose levels that develop during pregnancy. It can lead to complications for both the mother and the child.
  • In most cases, gestational diabetes disappears after childbirth. However, women who develop gestational diabetes, along with their children, are at an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.

Q1) What is Glucose?

Glucose is the main type of sugar in the blood and is the major source of energy for the body's cells. Glucose comes from the foods we eat or the body can make it from other substances. Glucose is carried to the cells through the bloodstream. Several hormones, including insulin, control glucose levels in the blood.

News: India sets up its first diabetes biobank - The Hindu