Why in News?
Gujarat has launched India’s first State-level Sports Genomics Programme to bring genomics, sports science, physiology and nutrition together for scientific athlete identification and high-performance development. The programme is being implemented by the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat.
Key Highlights
- Gujarat has become the first Indian state to launch a dedicated Sports Genomics Programme.
- Scientists have already started collecting samples from athletes across different sporting disciplines.
- The programme aims to collect around 2,000 athlete samples annually, reaching nearly 10,000 samples over five years.
- Initial samples have been collected from tennis players, with athletes from archery, fencing, judo and shooting also being covered.
- The programme will study genetic and biological factors associated with power, endurance, exercise response, recovery and injury risk.
- It will also explore nutrigenomics, lifestyle genomics and circadian rhythms.
What is Sports Genomics?
- Sports genomics is an emerging field that studies how genetic variations may influence athletic traits, such as muscle composition, endurance, metabolism, exercise response, recovery and susceptibility to injuries.
- However, the programme does not assume that a single “sports gene” can determine whether an individual will become a champion. Sporting performance depends on a combination of genetics, training, coaching, nutrition, lifestyle and environmental factors.