Towards a noble cause in medicine: Renowned scholar Dr Sukrit Silas and MRIIRS.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between SeqIndiaLabs Private Limited and MRIIRS recently. Dr. Sukrit Silas (Director) from SeqIndia Labs Pvt. Ltd. and Mr. Pradeep K. Varshney, Director, Manav Rachna Innovation and Incubation Center along with Dr. Shilpa S. Chapadgaonkar, Cluster head- Molecular Biosciences Research Cluster signed the MoU.

SeqIndia Labs Private Limited is a privately funded startup which is collaborating with MRIIRS for developing and commercializing their novel non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) for Down’s syndrome. Dr. Sukrit Silas,Director of SeqIndia Labs Pvt Ltd is also an internationally renowned scholar; he has received his MPhil from Trinity College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge UK and then he went to receive his PhD from the Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA. He is also the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of BillionToOne Inc.

MRIIRS and SeqIndia Labs Private Limited have agreed to collaborate in the research activities, by sharing technical expertise, technology, and equipment. The lab space and infrastructure shall be provided by MRIIRS. Present methods of prenatal diagnosis for Down’s syndrome is invasive and pose a high risk for pregnancy. This novel technique would enable the diagnosis of Down’s syndrome in 10th week of pregnancy as compared to the routine test that is carried out after the completion of 15-16 weeks of pregnancy. This test would empower parents and clinicians to take decisions about invasive clinical testing only when it is necessary.