The Avestagenome Project® was conceptualised with the intent of building a complete genealogical, medical and genetic database of the Parsi population in India. The Avestagenome Project® will identify within the Zoroastrian population, genetic risk factors which predispose individuals to cancers, elucidate gene function and improve public health through early intervention whilst improving disease prevention strategies and delivering improved patient health outcomes.

Mission and Objectives

• To create a database of the genealogy and epidemiology of the Parsi community
• To determine the genetic basis of longevity
• To determine the genetic component of human diseases
• To archive the Zoroastrian Parsi population for a systems biology analysis
• To develop drug targets and molecular biomarkers for Predictive, Preventive and Personalized Healthcare

Our mission is to create a unique, one-of-a-kind Zoroastrian ‘Living Blood Bank’ designed to advance healthcare by turning to real-world data. Data obtained from sequencing the Zoroastrian communities in India and globally using a high-throughput multi-omics based systems biology platform will deliver community healthcare insights to improve clinical outcomes worldwide positioning the Avestagenome Project® as a leader in personalised Precision Medicine.

Unique Directive

The Parsi Zoroastrian Ethnic Group is ideal for Precision Medicine based population research because it is small, homogeneous and localized to a limited geographical area in India. The data repository will also house information from the public domain and the results from the Project’s molecular analyses and studies. This is the largest epidemiological study to ever be conducted in India. Such databases are rare and extremely valuable for drug discovery pipeline programmes across multiple future generations.

The Unique Parsi Community – generations and thousands of years of endogenous development

 

The Zoroastrians of India, also known as the Parsis, are a well-defined endogamous population, less than 45,000 in India, c.100,000 globally. Well documented genealogical charts demonstrate unbroken lineages for 30 generations. Initial data analyzed from the Avestagenome Project® where marriage was for generations undertaken within the community, may have contributed to:

Positive traits:

• Greater longevity
• Fewer cases of head and neck cancers
• Fewer cases of esophageal cancer

Increased disease prevalence:

• Neurological disorders including Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s diseases
• Stroke and heart disease
• Cardiac related illnesses
• Breast and prostate cancers
• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Male and female infertility

The importance of the Parsi community’s unique genomic characteristics has been recognized by the US-based Foundation for a Smoke Free World (whose mission is to end smoking within this generation). With a dedicated management and laboratory leadership team, this international grant-directed programme aims on maximizing the value outcome from The Avestagenome Project®’s comprehensive data repository/blood bank, and AGENOME’s longitudinal sample and patient records, prioritizing research in lung and environment-induced cancers. Results of the project are expected to have wide-ranging implications on human health for the general population around the world.

The Avestagenome Project® will house information from the public domain and the results from the project’s molecular analyses and studies to deliver predictive, preventive and personalized medicines and qualified drug targets for a range of high morbidity diseases of global relevance. When complete, the Parsi Zoroastrian cohort population and separate Indian population cohorts will represent one of the most unique and advanced global targeted population genomics projects.

The use of a closed Parsi Zoroastrian control population is the key differentiator from other initiatives, enabling the study of targeted cancers and the preponderance of age-related diseases. This accelerates detection opportunities for the project goals – to identify biomarkers (diagnostics) for predicting cancers and diseases and provides targets for related drug development programmes. Also, providing research and commercialisation partnering options with sovereign genomics programmes. The Avestagenome Project® additionally aims to uncover the basis of longevity in the Parsi population.

Key Assets

• Management Team – Pioneers of the Indian and global Genomics industry. Experienced and recognised Board, Scientific Advisory Committee, Executive Directors & management team
• Unique, proprietary, “living” Parsi Biobank, Database & Patient Data with Informed Patient Consent
• Substantial asset value of Parsi sample Biobank generated from the multi-omics Systems Biology analysis
• Current and future extended sample collection programmes globally amongst Parsi and other relevant populations for cancers and diseases of R&D development
• Biobank consent provided by Parsi individuals for development of the next generation of omics-led Precision medicine and diagnostics
• Advanced cancer and disease targets generated from initial Parsi “Control Population” analyses

Scientific and Strategic Model

The Project has been conceived and executed to the highest national and international standards, using state of the art technology, equipment and facilities. It adheres to the highest ethical and scientific standards for such research and aims to be the benchmark in these respects for future population studies. The Avestagenome Project International® Private Limited has implemented a model for the use and application of funds that may be generated by the scientific research and development of the Project.

The three partnership models are as follows:

• Global project alliance: early stage partnerships with Industry and Public / Private organizations for the entire project.
• Strategic alliance: The Avestagenome Project® will result in generating a wealth of information and novel technologies with varied applications in the global healthcare sector. Depending on the specific interests of the partners we will be working closely with our partners in focused outputs of the project.
• Late stage opportunity-based alliance: The scientific research from this population study using integrative systems biology approach will lead to discovery of novel technologies and information. We will partner with these outputs in licensing them to technology or area specific interest of the partners.
• Ensuring donor confidentiality: Our systems ensure that the confidentiality of all participants in the Project is maintained. All personal identifiers are de-linked from the biological samples taken from the Project participants. The identity of the participant is made anonymous with the help of an efficient barcoding system. The biological samples are recognised by their barcode, and not by the name of the participant. Our secure systems ensure that the Project protocols prevent the personal identity of the participant from being revealed and from being associated with any particular biological sample. Participant confidentiality is treated with the utmost importance in the structuring and execution of the Project.

The Parsi Zoroastrian Journey

The history of human civilisation shortlists a few races that could reach heights of glory and perfection, intellectually and culturally, making contributions towards the betterment of the human race. Once such race is the story of the Persian Zoroastrians, followers of one of the oldest religions of the world from the Iranian Plateau. Following the destruction of Persepolis by Alexander of Macedonia, and an interregnum culminating in the Arab invasion of Persia, The Zarathushtrian state faced a systemic attack on life and ignominy. The story of their genome does not however die by the sword, but blossoms forth, to rise from the ashes to flourish once again.

The Persians Zoroastrians who fled from Iran in order to safeguard the freedom to practice their religion set sail from the port of Hormuz in the Persian gulf and found refuge in Gujarat, the western shore of India around 930 AD assimilating into the Indian culture whilst retaining their heritage and identity. The Parsis soon pioneered their way to Bombay as traders, ushered in innovation in textile weaving and designing, adept at learning local languages and english acting as a liaison between the Europeans and native Indians thus commandeering establishments in trade, commerce, the fine arts, architecture and administration.

In the years to come, the community re-awakened their engineering skills to build a modern city on the western shore of India. The Majestic Bombay was a product of the architectural splendours that they had once given shape to in ancient Iran. Their enthusiasm for nation building saw some eminent Parsis playing an active role in seeking political freedom of India from the British rule both in India and on the English soil as well.

Philantrophy has been the cornerstone of the Zoroastrian faith resulting in hundreds of charity trusts being established for the welfare and well-being of the less fortunate, the sick and the destitute. It is also a paradigm in the faith that human beings are custodians of nature and that they must always endeavour to maintain the essential purity of the environment.

Through the years, the Parsi community which has overcome adversity over the centuries faces its greatest strife yet. There has been an alarming 10% decline in the Parsi-Zoroastrian community every ten years. Current estimates are 60,000 in India, half as many as there were in the 1940’s.

A steep demographic decline in the population poses a great danger for a culture being lost completely. The history of endogamous marriages advocated by the faith coupled with infertility, late marriages and increased incidence of chronic diseases have crippled the growth of the community.

The importance of this community to get back on its feet cannot be understated. Advances in healthcare systems and a deeper understanding of the community at a genetic level would help devise strategies to stem the decline to ensure their legacy, heritage and the pioneering spirit is preserved and passed on as an Integral part of India’s cultural landscape.