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Single-Cell Analysis of patients’ immune cells has provided new clues about how the disease develops, which could potentially guide future treatments. Scientists can now study thousands of cells separately by single-cell research using advanced sequencing technologies, and see which genes are active in each one, informs Dr. Arivusudar John, associate director at Strand Life Sciences.
Dr. John adds that most biological research for decades has relied on averages, a blended signal from millions of cells to draw broad conclusions. Although this approach has helped vast advances in medicine, it often hides crucial details. Diseases such as cancer or autoimmune disorders do not behave uniformly within the body; even cells sitting side by side can act in vastly different ways. Understanding these differences may hold the key to more effective treatments.
Instead of studying cells in bulk, scientists can now examine each cell individually to track how genes are turned on or off, how cells communicate, and how they evolve. This method reveals what ordinary testing misses: the complex, often overlooked patterns that shape health and disease.
Dr. John further explains that the most common technique, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), reads the RNA of individual cells. This offers scientists a snapshot of which genes are being “used” at a particular moment. In effect, it lets us listen to every voice in the crowd, not just the loudest. This has opened up entirely new ways to study health and disease. Scientists can now understand why some cells resist chemotherapy while others respond. In immunity, it allows doctors to understand why some people recover quickly from infections while others develop long-term complications.
Indian scientists are rapidly embracing this technology. At the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, researchers are using single-cell sequencing to study oral cancer, which is one of the most common cancers in Indian men. Their findings are helping map how different cell types within the same tumour behave, paving the way for more tailored treatments.
In a recent collaboration involving Strand Life Sciences, researchers used single-cell sequencing to study uveitis, an inflammatory eye disease that can cause blindness. By examining immune cells one by one, the team uncovered distinct patterns of immune activity, which could help scientists create better diagnostics and more targeted therapy.
Single-cell research depends not only on good science but also on technology and data analysis. Indian engineers and biologists are working together to make this science more accessible. One such innovation is OptiDrop, a lab-on-a-chip device that can analyze cells inside microscopic droplets. It performs high-precision cellular studies with smaller, cheaper equipment, which could go a long way in making single-cell testing available beyond large research centres.
In another study on triple-negative breast cancer (an aggressive form that occurs more frequently in Indian women), single-cell tools are helping uncover why these tumours are so resistant to existing drugs. Similar projects are underway for skin, pancreatic, and stomach cancers, all with the goal of building more precise, locally relevant data.
Dr. John further notes, “Single-cell methods are also reshaping our understanding of immune health. Indian researchers have used them to study how the immune system responds to Covid-19 infections, revealing that in some patients, the immune response does not fully reset even after recovery. Other studies have focused on Kawasaki disease, a rare childhood condition that causes blood vessel inflammation.”
India’s growing investment in bioinformatics and computing infrastructure is also key. Analyzing single-cell data requires powerful algorithms and skilled scientists who understand both biology and computation. Training programs, collaborations between institutes, and partnerships with startups are helping to build this capacity.
Dr. John further informs that India’s population represents one of the most diverse gene pools in the world. Yet, most global genetic research is based on European or North American populations. As a result, diagnostic and therapeutic models developed elsewhere may not always work best for Indian populations. Single-cell studies on Indian patients can change that by identifying unique molecular signatures, refining diagnostics, and improving therapy choices for cancers and immune disorders common in India.
“Local research also reduces inequity in healthcare. When the data that underpins medicine reflects Indian biology, the treatments that emerge are more likely to work effectively for Indian patients. This means fewer misdiagnoses, better-targeted therapies, and more rational use of expensive treatments,” Dr. John concludes.
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