Now Reading: ICMR funds 200-family study on autoimmune disease clusters across six centres
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ICMR funds 200-family study on autoimmune disease clusters across six centres
ICMR funds 200-family study on autoimmune disease clusters across six centres
The Story in Brief
The Indian Council of Medical Research has funded a four-year study to investigate why autoimmune diseases cluster in families. Six centres including AIIMS Delhi will recruit 200 families nationwide, with each family required to have at least one member diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus). The Times of India reports each family needs three affected members (including one lupus case) and two unaffected, while The Hindu says multiple affected members with at least one lupus case. AIIMS Bibinagar, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (Lucknow), St John's Hospital (Bengaluru), Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (Hyderabad) and Kolkata Medical College are the other centres.
The project, coordinated by Dr Dipyaman Ganguly of Ashoka University (The Print names Dr Vikram Gandhi instead) and Dr Ranjan Gupta of AIIMS, will collect blood samples from affected and unaffected relatives. Researchers will analyse genetic variations, cytokine profiles and immune markers to identify shared disease mechanisms and potential therapy targets. Lupus patients in Delhi-NCR can contact AIIMS to check eligibility for participation.
Update, 30 October 2026: The Print now also reports the study, naming Dr Vikram Gandhi as the Ashoka University coordinator rather than Dr Dipyaman Ganguly, and describing the eligibility broadly without specifying a minimum number of affected members. The six clinical centres are confirmed. The study aims to identify shared immune markers and potential therapy targets, with recruitment open.
Indian Opinion Analysis
All three outlets report the same ICMR-funded four-year study with identical facts on the project title, the 200-family cohort, the six participating centres and the lead researchers. The only difference is in the participant eligibility criterion: The Hindu says each family needs at least one lupus patient and multiple affected members, while the Times of India says three affected members including one lupus case plus two unaffected members (minimum five participants). The Print uses the broader phrase ‘why autoimmune diseases run in families’ without specifying the minimum number of affected members, and uniquely names Dr Vikram Gandhi as the Ashoka University coordinator, while the other two name Dr Dipyaman Ganguly. On the coordinator name, no outlet explains the discrepancy. Recruitment is underway, lupus patients in Delhi-NCR can contact AIIMS for eligibility screening.
Coverage: 3 sources, 3 neutral
Sources (3): thehindu.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), theprint.in (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
