The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has set a historical milestone by becoming the first research institution globally to unveil the most intricate 3D high-definition images of the fetal brain, stated Director V Kamakoti.
This remarkable accomplishment, spearheaded by the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras, signifies a significant leap forward in brain mapping technology and places India at the leading edge of international brain mapping research. The high-resolution images of the fetal brain present promising opportunities for improving existing fetal imaging methods, potentially facilitating earlier identification and intervention for developmental disorders.
Researchers emphasise that comprehending brain development from fetal stages through childhood and adolescence is vital for tackling developmental issues such as learning disabilities and autism.
For the first time in history, 5,132 brain sections were digitally captured utilising the Brain Mapping Technology developed by the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre. This breakthrough could propel advancements in neuroscience and aid in creating treatments for various brain-related health issues.
This innovative research marks the inaugural production of such sophisticated human neuroscience data in India. Notably, the project was completed at a cost that is less than one-tenth of what is usually spent in Western nations. The research was carried out by a multidisciplinary team at IIT Madras, involving researchers from India, Australia, the US, Romania, and South Africa. It also included medical partnerships with Mediscan Systems and Saveetha Medical College Hospital based in Chennai.
The findings have been accepted for publication in a special issue of the ‘Journal of Comparative Neurology’, a prestigious peer-reviewed journal in systems neuroscience. The data set, named 'DHARANI,' is now the largest publicly accessible digital dataset of the human fetal brain and is freely available to researchers worldwide.
"DHARANI was created with less than one-tenth of the initial funds used for the Allen Brain Atlas, using a custom-made technology platform developed in India between 2020 and 2022 during the pandemic," said Suzana Herculano-Houzel, Editor-in-Chief of the ‘Journal of Comparative Neurology’. "IIT Madras now joins the ranks of the Allen Brain Institute and India joins the US at the table of human brain cartography, where large investments are made to provide mankind with freely accessible atlases of human brain knowledge."
The Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre, launched in 2022, was established to spearhead large-scale, multidisciplinary efforts in science, technology, computing and medicine, with the aim of mapping human brains at the cellular level.
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