Epidermolysis bullosa comprises a group of inherited disorders in which minor friction or trauma can cause blistering and wounds. | Image for representation
| Photo Credit: GORODENKOFF
The Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SMSIMSR), located at Muddenahalli in Chickballapur district, has received a ₹5.5-crore research grant from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to develop affordable diagnostic and precision treatment approaches for epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare genetic disorder that causes extreme skin fragility.The ₹5,50,08,874 grant, awarded for four years, will support the ADAPT-EB project — Developing Accessible Diagnostics and Affordable Precision Therapies for Epidermolysis Bullosa in the Indian population. The project will be led by doctors Vamsi Krishna Yenamandra, with Divya Seshadri and Manoj Srinivasa of SMSIMSR, and Sharath Chandra Konda of SVS Medical College, Mahbubnagar, as co-investigators.EB comprises a group of inherited disorders in which minor friction or trauma can cause blistering and wounds. Patients can develop chronic wounds, scarring, nutritional complications and an increased risk of skin cancer.The project seeks to address gaps in diagnosis and treatment in India, where there is currently no national EB registry and access to affordable molecular diagnostics, and coordinated multidisciplinary care remains limited, according to SMSIMSR.Focus on affordable diagnosisOne of the key objectives is to develop low-cost targeted genomic assays that could reduce diagnostic costs by more than 60% compared with whole-exome sequencing. The tests are also expected to have applications in identifying carriers and prenatal screening.The researchers will also study “revertant mosaicism”, a naturally occurring genetic self-correction seen in some cells, to explore its potential in developing patient-specific regenerative therapies.Integrated precision medicine approachThe researchers said the project would bring prevention, prediction, diagnosis, regenerative therapy and genotype-guided disease management into a single framework.The aim is to generate evidence that can support earlier diagnosis, improve genetic counselling and make therapeutic options more accessible to people with EB in India. Dr. Yenamandra said EB posed a major challenge to patients and families, particularly when specialised diagnosis and care were difficult to access. “ADAPT-EB is designed to address this gap,” he said. Published - August 29, 2026 09:25 pm IST
