The MANAV Initiative – To Understand the Role of Tissues & Cells

It is an initiative launched by the Department of Biotechnology called ‘MANAV: Human Atlas Initiative to map every tissue of a human body.

By mapping every part of the human body, the Atlas will help understand the roles the tissues play and the cells that are associated with diseases.

Every tissue that is accounted for in the body will be mapped using the available scientific literature.
For better biological insights of the body, the physiological and molecular mapping will be undertaken.
Through predictive computing, disease models will be developed.
Will help in the holistic analysis and also in drug discovery.
The project aims to capture human physiology in both normal stage and disease stage.

For the project, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has invested Rs. 13 crores in two institutions – the National Centre for Cell Science and Indian Institute of Science, Education, and Research.
Persistent Systems Ltd, the co-founder of the project has spent Rs. 7 Crore.

Students will be involved in annotation and curation of information that will form an online network.
Students studying final year in biochemistry, microbiology, systems biologists, pharmacologists, biotechnology, zoology, botany, and data sciences can sign up for the project.
Various colleges and universities can sign up for the project as teams.
Colleges under DBT Star College Scheme will be accommodated initially.
Registered students will be trained to annotate and curate scientific literature or research papers.
Trainer scientists will assess student groups from time to time and evaluate their work.
The project will begin with curating information on skin tissues.

The MANAV data will be useful for future researchers and physicians to develop better drugs and assess the patient in disease conditions.
By involving students, the project will train them in reading scientific literature.
It will enable researchers to trace the causes of diseases, understand pathways, and decoding how disease condition is linked to cells and tissues.
The MANAV Team will also study the use of any potent molecules or elements that have not been used before to target cells and tissues.