Chennai: India is at the cusp of genomic revolution and genomics has acquired elevated prominence especially with the pandemic, Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said on Tuesday at the launch of MapmyGenome‘s Genomics Experience Center in Bengaluru.

"The pandemic has clearly shown us the need for genomic expertise," she said. "Without genomic sequencing, we would not even have the sequence of the Covid-19 virus, which led to the production of diagnostic tests and vaccines, and many other therapeutics."

Shaw said that it was companies like Mapmygenome which are at the forefront of this ‘revolution‘ and lauded their endeavour to expand their services to preventive genomics which she said combines genomic sequencing and biochemistry

She added that next gen sequencing activities and initiatives that the company has started for mother and child is important to understand genetically bourne diseases. Shaw also said that ancestral genomics is a fascinating subject that Mapmygenome has spearheaded in the country and will have many more companies follow suit.