Subject: Biotech and Medical Sciences

Why in the News?

Health authorities are debating whether Hepatitis A vaccine should have higher priority for inclusion in Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) compared to Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV).

About Hepatitis A:

• Overview: Viral infection caused by Hepatitis A Virus (HAV), spreading through contaminated food, water, or close contact with an infected person.
• Nature of Disease: Leads to acute liver inflammation with fever, jaundice, nausea, abdominal pain, and fatigue.
• Treatment: No antiviral therapy; illness is self-limiting and recovery occurs within six months with supportive care.
• Vaccine: Highly effective (90 to 95 percent), long-lasting immunity for 15 to 20 years or lifelong; prevents symptomatic infection.
• Current Trend: Improved sanitation lowers childhood exposure, but adult susceptibility is rising, increasing disease severity.

What is Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)?

• Launch and Evolution: Started in 1985; later integrated with Child Survival and Safe Motherhood Programme (1992) and National Rural Health Mission (2005).
• Coverage: Provides free vaccines against 12 diseases–  9 nationally (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Hib) and 3 in selected states (Rotavirus, Pneumococcal Pneumonia, Japanese Encephalitis).
• Achievements: Played a central role in polio eradication, reducing measles deaths, and improving child survival indicators.

Why Hepatitis A deserves priority?

• Greater Adult Severity: Shift from childhood to adult infections results in higher rates of acute liver failure.
• Recent Outbreaks: Reported surges in Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh signal a widening public-health risk.
• Falling Immunity: Seroprevalence has declined from around 90 percent to under 60 percent in many cities, leaving millions unprotected.
• Indigenous Vaccine: Biovac-A (Biological E Ltd.) is safe, affordable, and effective, with single-dose protection simplifying rollout.
• No Resistance Concerns: Viral disease with no antibiotic use eliminates resistance challenges.
• Cost Advantage: More economical and operationally easier than multi-dose vaccines like typhoid conjugate vaccine.
• Policy Relevance: Inclusion in the national programme could curb outbreaks and reduce adult liver-failure cases.

Why in the News?

Recent investigations after the Delhi Bomb Blast revealed a plot to use ricin, a deadly biological toxin, for large-scale terror attacks.

About Ricin:

• Origin: Ricin is a highly toxic protein derived from the mash left after processing castor beans (Ricinus communis) for castor oil.
• Discovery: First isolated in 1888 by German scientist Peter Hermann Stillmark, who documented its lethal, cell-destroying properties.
• Mechanism of Action: Ricin enters human cells and blocks protein synthesis, causing rapid cell death, tissue damage, and multi-organ failure. Even a few micrograms can be fatal.
• Routes of Exposure: Can cause poisoning through inhalation, ingestion, or injection, each producing sudden symptoms like respiratory collapse, gastrointestinal bleeding, seizures, and circulatory failure.
• Treatment: No antidote exists; medical management involves supportive care such as oxygen therapy, IV fluids, activated charcoal (if ingested early), and mechanical ventilation.
• Weaponisation Risk: Due to easy availability from an agricultural by-product and high lethality, ricin is classified globally as a potential bioterrorism agent.

Legal Classification and Security Implications:

• International Status: Listed under Schedule 1 of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and controlled under the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).
• Indian Legal Framework: Criminalised under the Chemical Weapons Convention Act, 2000, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), with offences being non-bailable.
• Penalties: Violations involving ricin can result in life imprisonment under Indian law.
• WMD Classification: Covered under the Weapons of Mass Destruction and Delivery Systems Act, 2005, placing it within the legal category of weapons of mass destruction.
• Dual-Use Concern: Castor is an industrial crop, making ricin a dual-use substance requiring strict monitoring of castor by-products.

Why in the News?

The Ministry of Ayush has launched the Digitized Retrieval Application for Versatile Yardstick of Ayush Substances (DRAVYA) portal the largest digital repository of Ayurvedic ingredients and formulations.

About DRAVYA Portal:

• Developed By: Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) under the Ministry of Ayush.
• Purpose: To build a centralized, open-access knowledge platform integrating classical Ayurveda with modern scientific data for global research and policy use.
• Launch: Released on 10th Ayurveda Day (23 September 2025) at Goa, marking a major digital step in traditional medicine.
• Phase I Coverage: Includes data on 100 medicinal substances, updated through a dedicated entry system ensuring precision and authenticity.
• Integration Goal: Designed to connect with the Ayush Grid and allied Ministry databases for coordinated digital governance and research.
• Scope: Merges textual, botanical, pharmacological, and chemical information for cross-disciplinary validation and innovation.

Key Features:

• AI-Ready Design: Built with artificial intelligence capability for analytics, discovery, and predictive research.
• Open-Access Repository: Consolidates validated data from classical texts, scientific literature, and field studies in searchable form.
• Comprehensive Profiles: Details each substance’s pharmacotherapeutics, botany, chemistry, pharmacology, and safety aspects.
• QR-Code Integration: Enables standardised display of plant data in gardens, repositories, and institutions.
• Advanced Search Filters: Sorts substances by rasa (taste), virya (potency), vipaka (post-digestive effect), and therapeutic use.
• Dynamic Database: Continuously updated for authenticity and scientific rigour.
• Global Accessibility: Serves as a credible digital reference for researchers, policymakers, and innovators worldwide.
• Future Expansion: Will interlink with Ayush Grid, National Medicinal Plants Database, and Ayush Drug Policy for an integrated digital health ecosystem.

Why in the News?

The Union Transport Minister has announced that the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) is studying the feasibility of blending Isobutanol with Diesel after ethanol–diesel blending attempts failed.

About Isobutanol:

• What is it: A four-carbon alcohol (C₄H₁₀O), clear, flammable, and traditionally used as a solvent in paints, coatings, and chemical industries.
• Production: Derived either from petrochemical processes or by fermenting sugarcane, molasses, and grains with engineered microbes.
• Fuel Properties:
  • Higher energy density than ethanol, closer to diesel.
  • Lower hygroscopicity (absorbs less water), reducing rust and corrosion in engines and pipelines.
  • Higher flash point than ethanol, making it safer for storage and transport.

Isobutanol–Diesel Blending and Benefits:

• Compatibility: Unlike ethanol, isobutanol blends well with diesel without extra chemicals.
• Economic Feasibility: Can be produced in existing ethanol plants with minor changes.
• Agricultural Support: Creates demand for sugarcane by-products, helping farmers and managing sugar surplus.
• Energy Security: Reduces reliance on imported fossil fuels and saves foreign exchange.
• Global First: Pilot studies may make India the first country to use isobutanol–diesel blends.

Challenges and Risks:

• Combustion Issues: Has a lower cetane number than diesel, causing poor combustion quality.
• Engine Risks: Can trigger diesel knock (uneven burning, power loss, engine damage).
• Mixing Limitations: Blending challenges exist but can be partly solved with biodiesel addition.
• Cost Factor: Requires additives to restore cetane number, increasing costs.
• Blending Limit: Experts suggest ≤10% blending to avoid harm.
• Pilot Phase: Testing will take ~18 months before possible large-scale adoption.

Why in the News?

A recent study (2025, Science) found young neurons in the adult brain, challenging the old belief that Neurogenesis (neurons formation) occur only in childhood.

What is Neurogenesis?

• Overview: Formation of new neurons from stem or progenitor cells.
• Established in Animals: Well-known in mice, rats, and monkeys; also active during human childhood development.
• Debate in Humans: Longstanding question if it continues in adulthood, especially in the hippocampus (brain’s memory and learning hub).
• Hippocampal Role: The dentate gyrus is believed to sustain lifelong neurogenesis, helping in memory formation, flexibility, and stress control.

Key findings of the Study:

• Conducted by: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, published in Science (2025).
• Study: Analysed 400,000 neurons from post-mortem hippocampus samples of people aged from infants (<1 year) to 78 years.
• Methodology: Used single nuclei RNA sequencing with machine learning to detect signs of new cells.
• Outcome: Validated with RNAscope and Xenium imaging, which confirmed the presence of neural stem cells, progenitors, and young neurons (neuroblasts) even in adolescent and adult brains.

Why are the findings important?

• Evidence in Adults: Strong proof that new neurons form in adult brains, not just in early years.
• Evolutionary Insight: Suggests neurogenesis is a conserved feature across mammals, not unique to certain species.
• Brain Functions: Explains memory flexibility, ability to overwrite memories, and resilience to stress.
• Therapeutic Potential: Opens up scope for regenerative treatments in brain disorders like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia by stimulating local progenitor cells.
• Lifestyle Link: Implies that exercise, social connections, and stress levels could influence how much neurogenesis happens in individuals.

Why in the News?

Semaglutide, a drug originally developed for type 2 diabetes but also highly effective for weight reduction has been added to the WHO’s Model List of Essential Medicines (EML).

About WHO’s Model List of Essential Medicines (EML):

• What is it: A global reference by WHO listing the most effective, safe, and essential medicines for priority healthcare needs.
• History: First introduced in 1977 to improve access in developing countries; updated every 2 years by a WHO Expert Committee.
• Structure:
  • Core list: Basic medicines usable with limited infrastructure.
  • Complementary list:  Need specialised training, facilities, or are costlier.
• Global Impact: Over 150 countries use EML to build national lists for procurement, reimbursement, and universal health coverage (UHC).
• Selection Criteria:
  • Public health relevance.
  • Proven efficacy and safety.
  • Cost-effectiveness compared to alternatives.
  • Quality, stability, and reliable formulations.
  • Preference for single-compound formulations unless combinations are better.

Why in the News?

A recent study published in the Nature suggests that simple molecules called aminoacyl-thiols may have helped amino acids stick to RNA (ribonucleic acid) without enzymes, giving clues to how protein-making began on early Earth.

About the RNA–Amino Acid Link:

• Discovery: Study showed that aminoacyl-thiols (simple prebiotic molecules) can attach amino acids to RNA directly (aminoacylation) without enzymes.
• Modern Parallel: In cells today, this is done by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases before ribosomes build proteins. This created the “chicken-and-egg problem”: proteins are needed to make proteins.
• Chemical Mechanism:
  • Thioesters: Enable amino acids to attach to RNA (“charging RNA”).
  • Thioacids: Enable amino acids to link into peptides.
• Robustness: Works at neutral pH, across many amino acids, with unexpected selectivity for RNA despite other molecules being more reactive.

Significance for Origin of Life:

• RNA World Hypothesis: Supports the idea that RNA and amino acids interacted directly before enzymes evolved.
• Chemical Advantage: Shows RNA had a natural edge in early Earth conditions, explaining its central role in life’s origin.
• Prebiotic Plausibility: Aminoacyl-thiols could form from simple nitriles and thiols, and reactions occurred even in cold/frozen pools resembling early Earth.
• Evolutionary Pathway: Suggests life began with short peptides, with RNA later evolving control, leading to coded protein synthesis and ribosomes.

Why in the News?

The US authorities have reported the first human case of the flesh-eating parasite, the New World screwworm.

About New World Screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax):

• Overview: Called “man-eater” larvae in Latin; South America and the Caribbean.
• Larval Stage: Eggs hatch into maggots that burrow into wounds of warm-blooded animals (including humans) and feed on living flesh in a screw-like motion.
• Life Cycle: After feeding, larvae fall to soil, pupate, and emerge as adult Blue-grey blowfly.
• Human Infestation (Myiasis): Causes painful non-healing wounds, bleeding, foul odour, sensation of movement; may lead to sepsis or death if untreated.
• Eradication in USA: Eliminated in 1966 using Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) by mass release of sterile males.

Current Spread and Concerns:

• Recent Outbreaks: Detected in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras.
• Cause of Spread: Likely linked to movement of infested cattle across regions.
• Possible Weakness in SIT: Current strain of sterilized flies may be less effective than earlier strains.
• New Human Case: First travel-associated screwworm myiasis reported in the United States in 2025.
• Livestock Threat: Serious danger to cattle industry; risk of animal suffering and economic loss.
• Biosecurity Risk: Reemergence could undo decades of eradication efforts if uncontrolled.

Why in the News?

Recent research by IISc on Asgard archaea — the closest living relatives of eukaryotes — has shed new light on how simple prokaryotic cells evolved into complex eukaryotic cells with nuclei, cytoskeletons, and organelles.

About Asgard Archaea:

• Nature: Tiny microbes living in deep-sea mud and extreme environments.
• Evolutionary Link: Closest relatives of eukaryotic cells (plants, animals, humans).
• Importance: Help explain how simple prokaryotic cells (bacteria/archaea) evolved into complex eukaryotic cells.
• Significance: Considered the “missing link” in the origin of complex life.

Findings from Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Study:

• Focus: Scientists studied a subgroup called Odinarchaeota.
• Discovery: Found two FtsZ genes (most microbes have one) and a tubulin-like gene.
  • FtsZ1: Works like bacterial proteins → forms straight filaments and attaches to cell membranes.
  • FtsZ2: Builds spiral structures but needs helper proteins to stick to membranes.
• Division of Labour: Cooperation of FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 shows early signs of cellular specialisation.
• Clue for Evolution: Suggests Asgard microbes were already experimenting with primitive “cytoskeleton” systems, paving way for complex cells.