2024-Newsletter
ICGA Foundation Newsletter 2024
We are thrilled to welcome you to the inaugural edition of our newsletter. The Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) is an organic national mission to create a comprehensive and publicly accessible database of clinically correlated multi-omics data of cancer patients in India. By integrating and analyzing this data, we aim to advance the understanding of biology of cancers in India, improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer for Indians, and foster collaborative research among various stakeholders in the field of oncology.
In this newsletter, you will find the latest updates on the ICGA project, the publications and presentations made by our team. You will also read the opportunities and events for you to get involved and support our mission.
The ICGA is a collaborative effort of many institutions, organizations, and individuals who share a common passion and commitment to fight cancer in India. We are grateful for the support and contribution of our partners, including hospitals, epidemiology experts, research institutions, universities, biobanks, bioinformatics labs and companies, and regulatory groups. We are also thankful for the participation and feedback of our stakeholders, who are the driving force and the inspiration behind our work.
We are proud of what we have accomplished so far, but we also recognize that we have a long way to go. The ICGA is an ambitious and complex project that requires a lot of resources, expertise, and coordination. We face many challenges and uncertainties in our journey, such as data quality, security, and privacy, ethical and legal issues, technical and logistical difficulties, and funding and sustainability.
That is why we need your continued support and engagement. We invite you to join us in our #mission to create a valuable and impactful resource for the cancer community in India and beyond. Whether you are a clinician, a researcher, a data analyst, a donor, or a volunteer, you can make a difference by partnering with us, sharing your data and insights, donating your funds or time, or spreading the word about our project.
To reach out to us, please write to communications@icga.co.in or connect with me Suveera Dhup or Dr. Ankita Singh through LinkedIn.
Together, we can make the ICGA a success and a legacy for the benefit of cancer patients in India and the world.
Suveera Dhup, Chief Operating Officer, ICGA Foundation
Journey so far…
Embarking 2024
The year 2024 began with a series of visits to our collaborating cancer hospitals.
ICGA at Tata Memorial Centre Hospital
Dr. Ankita Singh visited Tata Memorial Centre Hospital, Navi Mumbai to review the process of patient recruitment and consenting for the study and the related downstream processes.
ICGA at AIIMS Nagpur
Dr. Ankita Singh visited AIIMS Nagpur to review the site and to train the team on sample collection and storage as per ICGA protocols.
ICGA at Global Cancer Consortium 2024
Dr. Ankita Singh gave a talk titled ‘Indian Cancer Genome Atlas: Genomic Wisdom for a Hopeful Future’ where she showcased ICGA’s vision to integrate genomic wisdom into the fabric of cancer research and healthcare, and to foster hope for a future where precision medicine becomes a reality for every cancer patient in India.
#ICGA on AajTak and GNT panel discussion on Cancer Care and Cure
Dr Ravi Mehrotra MD represented Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) Foundation during an interactive panel discussion in Hindi on “Latest cancer therapies and available vaccines” on The Good News Today Aajtak.
ICGA at Gangaram Hospital
On #WorldCancerDay2024, Dr Ravi Mehrotra MD was the guest of honor at the panel discussion “Precision Oncology – Way Forward” at Gangaram Hospital. The session was moderated by Dr. Shyam Aggarwal .
2023 at a Glance
ICGA’s COO meets Health Minister
ICGA’s Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Suveera Dhup, engaged in a productive discussion with the Honorable Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya. The meeting centered around the advancements and challenges in the ICGA projects. We express our sincere appreciation to the Hon’ble Minister for his unwavering support and guidance in this noble initiative. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to Padmashri Dr. Vikas Mahatme, Former Rajya Sabha MP, for his invaluable support.
ICGA at Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College and Hospital, Kolar Sri Devaraj Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research
Dr. Suveera Dhup visited the Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College and Hospital, Kolar to review the hospital site and explain the ICGA protocols and study. It also resulted in signing of the MoU between the two entities.
4th Indian Cancer Genome Atlas Conference 2023
The 4th Edition of ICGA Annual Conference, #ICGAConference2023 was held from 06 to 08 October 2023 at Indian Institute of Science Education & Research (IISER), Pune,. The conference focused on “Advancing Towards Integrated Precision Oncology in India” and showcased the latest developments and achievements in the field of cancer research and omics technologies. The conference brought together participants from India and abroad, including students, researchers, clinicians, data scientists, and technology providers. The conference featured eminent speakers and panelists from leading national and international institutions, who shared their insights and experiences on various topics related to cancer omics and precision oncology. The conference also provided a platform for networking and collaboration among the participants, as well as poster presentations from students, faculty and industry on their research work. The posters from students were judged by faculty members and awards were given to the top posters from students.
TU Delft delegation and ICGA
Building on many years of strong Indo-Dutch collaboration, a delegation from Netherlands was in India to explore avenues for cooperation on role “Data for Better Health Outcomes in Oncology”. The aim of the visit was to strengthen TU Delft’s ties with Indian partner universities and embark new collaborations between Indian and Dutch entities. Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) Foundation team met the Dutch delegation and faculty of Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi to widen scope of collaboration and endeavored to identify synergies and strategic opportunities for enhanced cooperation.
ICGA at 7th Annual Conference of Asian Society of Mastology 2023 (ASOMACON 2023)
ASOMACON was held at the prestigious Himalayan Institute in Dehradun from November 15th to 18th. The event was a grand success, with many sessions on various aspects of cancer research and advancements. The session was remarkable for its in-depth discussions and explored the nuances of breast cancer screening methods, stressing the importance of early detection in fighting this common disease. The attendees were enriched by the insights and experiences of the experts on breast cancer screening in the Indian scenario. Three of the current members of the Indian Cancer Genome Atlas Board of Directors, Dr Ravi Mehrotra MD , Dr. Chaitanyanand Koppiker and Dr. Chinta Mani were part of this session and gave perspective on the area.
Actionable Cancer Omics- Opportunities and Challenges
ICGA Foundation held a panel discussion during the annual conference of Indian Association of Cancer Research (IACR 2023) at Navi Mumbai. Read more…
ICGA in News
2024
Drs.Suveera Dhup and Ranjani Ramamurthy co-authored a commentary for Nature Portfolio on the Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) Foundation: a #databank of #genomics and longitudinal #clinical data of #cancers as they present in #India. First cancer of focus is #breastcancer. Soon to add other cancers to the databank, including #pediatriccancer. Link…
#WorldCancerDay2024, Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) Foundation released a public statement, available on LinkedIn . Link…
#WorldCancerDay2024, Dr. Krithiga Shridhar, Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC) shared #vision and #thoughts on Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) Foundation. Link…
2023
Drs. Suveera Dhup and Ranjani Ramamurthy put together a FAQ on the #vision and #mission of Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) Foundation: the why, the what, and the how. The article was published on Medium. Link…
Minding The Gaps In Genomics In Cancer Care. In this article, Dr Ravi Mehrotra MD, Director of Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) Foundation Foundation shares his opinion on how genomics can improve cancer diagnosis, treatment and prevention. This article was published in BW HEALTHCARE WORLD BW Businessworld
Suveera Dhup commented on Key Advancements, Challenges Of Cancer Research In India in an article published in BW HEALTHCARE WORLD BW Businessworld
Suveera Dhup contributed to an article on state of #cancercare in #India and possible improvements in Financial Express (India) by Sushmita Panda . Link…
A special #article in @JCO Global Oncology captured the proceedings of the 3rd ICGA conference “Biobanking to Omics – Collecting the Global Experience.” Link…
Coming Up Next
5th ICGA Conference 2024
#ICGA2024
The ICGA Foundation is delighted to invite you to its 5th conference, which will take place in the lively city of Delhi. This landmark event, scheduled in September 2024, will bring together leading experts, researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders in the field of cancer genomics. The conference will highlight the latest developments and breakthroughs in cancer research, and will include keynote speeches, panel discussions, and poster presentations on various topics related to cancer genomics, personalized medicine, therapeutic advancements, and more. Attendees will enjoy stimulating discussions, networking opportunities, and valuable insights from distinguished speakers. Follow us on LinkedIn and X to get more information. You can also write to us communications@icga.co.in to get more information.