ArdorComm Media News Network
October 30, 2026
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has funded a four-year research project to investigate the genetic and immunological factors behind autoimmune diseases, with the aim of identifying shared disease mechanisms and potential targets for future therapies.
The study will focus on families with multiple members affected by autoimmune conditions. Researchers are planning to develop a nationwide cohort of 200 families, each having at least one member diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as lupus. Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, have also appealed to eligible lupus patients to participate in the research.
Titled ‘Genomic Profiling and Identification of Targetable Shared Immunopathogenic Events in Multiplex Families with Autoimmune Diseases’, the project has been awarded to Dr Dipyaman Ganguly of Ashoka University, Sonipat, and Dr Ranjan Gupta, Additional Professor in the Department of Rheumatology at AIIMS Delhi.
As part of the investigation, researchers will conduct genetic and immunological assessments of patients and their family members to identify common biological processes associated with the development of autoimmune conditions. The findings are expected to improve understanding of disease mechanisms and help identify potential targets for developing new treatment approaches.
Autoimmune diseases develop when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells and tissues. According to Dr Gupta, a family history of these conditions is associated with an increased risk, making genetic and shared immunological factors important areas of investigation.
The research will involve six clinical centres across the country: AIIMS Delhi, AIIMS Bibinagar in Telangana, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow, St John’s Hospital in Bengaluru, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad and Kolkata Medical College. These institutions will contribute clinical information and biological samples to support the study.
Patients diagnosed with lupus and residing in the Delhi-NCR region can contact the AIIMS Delhi centre to enquire about eligibility and enrolment. Participation will depend on meeting the study’s clinical and other recruitment requirements.
Through this multi-institutional initiative, researchers aim to strengthen understanding of the inherited and immune-related factors associated with autoimmune diseases and explore new possibilities for targeted treatment.
Source: PTI