In a major advancement for neuroscience, IIT Madras has become the first institution globally to release the most detailed 3D high-resolution images of the human fetal brain. The dataset, named DHARANI, contains over 5,100 digital brain sections and is freely available to researchers worldwide. This effort, conducted by the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre, marks a significant step forward in understanding brain development and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and learning disabilities.
The research, led by Professor Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, was made possible through collaborations with medical institutions and international researchers. The initiative also received support from prominent Indian organizations and companies such as the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and NVIDIA, which helped process the extensive data.
The DHARANI dataset advances brain mapping technology by 20-fold compared to existing resources, placing India at the forefront of global neuroscience research. The findings have been accepted for publication in the Journal of Comparative Neurology and are expected to revolutionize fetal medicine and developmental neuroscience.
This achievement highlights India’s growing prowess in high-tech scientific research and the potential of public-private partnerships to drive innovation.
