Page 29 - CSIR-IGIB Annual Report 2020-21

Pathogenesis of respiratory disease during SARS-CoV2 infection spread and its
In 2020-2021, we completed our studies interaction with host immunity. We found that
exploring whether low lung function in Indians, the spread of infection was far greater than had
when compared to other global populations, is been realized and was accompanied by
a healthy genetically determined trait or an accumulation of new mutations leading to high
adverse environmental effect, masking diversity and likelihood of emergence of
pathophysiology. The studies encompassed immune escape variants. We also found that
surveys, anthropometry, inflammometry, reinfections were more common than believed.
spirometry, and oscillometry in school-children
of fourteen districts, mostly rural. The Digital Health
hypothesis was that low lung function in
apparently healthy Indians, defined as normal In this period, I served as the co-chair of the
based on global norms, may be hiding sub- Lancet-Financial Times commission for
clinical disease and may be linked to higher governing health futures in a digital world, and
cardio-metabolic risks via chronic inflammation. as a member of the World Health Organization
We found that poor lung function is seen by Technical Advisory Group for Digital Health. Our
adolescence in India; probably originating via efforts at the commission were to understand
environmental adversity, leading to sub-clinical how to ensure digital determinants of health
inflammation, in addition to genetic differences. and equity for young children growing up in a
digital world. At WHO, we examined how a
In 2020-2021, I was also engaged in molecular common framework of understanding and
surveillance of the COVID19 pandemic. Our role digital public goods could be created and
was to understand the evolution of the virus deployed for global health.

Publications

Prevalence of airflow obstruction as measured by spirometry, in rural southern Indian adults. Christopher DJ,
Oommen AM, George K, Shankar D, Agrawal A, Thangakunam B. COPD. 2020 Apr;17(2):128-135

Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000
and 2017. LBD double burden of malnutrition collaborators. Nat Med. 2020; 26, 750–759 .

Integrated genomic view of SARS-CoV-2 in India. Kumar P, Pandey R, Sharma P, Dhar MS, A V, Uppili B, Vashisht H,
Wadhwa S, Tyagi N, Fatihi S, Sharma U, Singh P, Lall H, Datta M, Gupta P, Saini N, Tewari A, Nandi B, Kumar D, Bag
S, Gahlot D, Rathore S, Jatana N, Jaiswal V, Gogia H, Madan P, Singh S, Singh P, Dash D, Bala M, Kabra S, Singh S,
Mukerji M, Thukral L, Faruq M, Agrawal A, Rakshit P. Wellcome Open Res. 2020 Aug 3;5:184

Bridging digital health divides. Agrawal A. Science. 2020 Aug 28;369(6507):1050-1052

Noncanonical role for Ku70/80 in the prevention of allergic airway inflammation via maintenance of airway
epithelial cell organelle homeostasis. Rehman R, Vijayakumar VE, Jaiswal A, Jain V, Mukherjee S, Vellarikkal SK,
Dieffenbach PB, Fredenburgh LE, Prakash YS, Ghosh B, Agrawal A, Mabalirajan U. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol.
2020 Oct 1;319(4):L728-L741.
Measuring universal health coverage based on an index of effective coverage of health services in 204 countries
and territories, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. GBD 2019 Universal
Health Coverage Collaborators. Lancet. 2020 Oct 17;396(10258):1250-1284.

Global age-sex-specific fertility, mortality, healthy life expectancy (HALE), and population estimates in 204
countries and territories, 1950-2019: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease
Study 2019. GBD 2019 Demographics Collaborators. Lancet. 2020 Oct 17;396(10258):1160-1203.

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