Jammu : Under the patronage and able guidance of Administrative Secretary H&ME, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah (IAS), the Department of Microbiology, GMC Jammu has successfully started genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations on cutting-edge Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology.
As a capacity building in genetic sequencing and to provide most advanced technology in diagnostics as well as research, NGS was started in oncogenetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes targeting harmful mutations that predispose individuals, or their relatives, to cancer. Having a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes can increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, by the age of 70, to between 65-85% for BRCA1 mutations and between 40-85% for BRCA2. Positive BRCA1 or BRCA2 results allow women to make a choice well in advance about available options that could potentially reduce their risk of developing breast cancer well in advance. The department will gradually add Human Papiloma virus NGS testing in second phase.
With this dynamic achievement under the fast-track administrative support of Principal & Dean, Dr Ashutosh Gupta, the Department of Microbiology, GMC Jammu with faculty and scientists trained in Bioinformatics & NGS becomes first ever Govt. institution in J&K to start NGS diagnostic testing in the health care sector.