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Nature 446, 475 (29 March 2007) | doi:10.1038/446475a; Published online 28 March 2007

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Database targets Parsi genes

K. S. Jayaraman

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Biotech firm aims to collate health data for 69,000-strong community.

A biotechnology company in Bangalore has launched a project to build a genetic, genealogical and medical database of India's 69,000-strong Parsi community. Parsis are thought to be particularly genetically homogenous, so researchers hope to use the data to identify genes involved in disease and develop new treatments and diagnostics — in a similar way to a national genetic database already set up in Iceland.