INSACOG

{{Short description|Indian Consortium to study and monitor COVID-19 genome sequencing}}

{{Infobox government agency

| name = Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics

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| type = Consortium

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| logo = DBT-INSACOG Logo.png

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| logo_alt = Logo of INSACOG

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| formed = {{Start date and age|2020|12|30}}

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| agency_type = Consortium under Government of India

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| status = Active

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| parent_department = Department of Biotechnology

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| website = [https://dbtindia.gov.in/insacog dbtindia.gov.in/insacog]

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INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics or Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genetics Consortium) is the forum set up under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare by the Government of India on 30 December 2020, to study and monitor genome sequencing and virus variation of circulating strains of COVID-19 in India.{{cite web|title=Genome Sequencing by INSACOG shows variants of concern and a Novel variant in India|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1707177|work=Ministry of Health and Family Welfare|date=24 March 2021|accessdate=17 May 2021}}{{cite news|title=Top Indian virologist quits government panel after airing differences|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-india-virologist-idUSL3N2N308Q|work=Reuters|first=Krishna N|last=Das|date=16 May 2021|accessdate=17 May 2021}}{{cite news|title=India's Genome Sequencing Program Is Finally Good To Go – So What's the Hold Up?|url=https://science.thewire.in/health/insacog-ccmb-igib-novel-coronavirus-variants-genome-sequencing-covid-19-surge/|work=The Wire|first=Priyanka|last=Pulla|date=28 February 2021|accessdate=17 May 2021}} Initially it was tasked to study the virus variant Lineage B.1.1.7 earlier found in United Kingdom in December 2020.

INSACOG works as a consortium of 38{{cite web |title=INSACOG {{!}} Department of Biotechnology |url=https://dbtindia.gov.in/insacog |website=Government of India Ministry of Science & Technology |access-date=24 January 2022}} national laboratories for genome sequencing located in different parts of India.{{cite web |title=INSACOG {{!}} Department of Biotechnology |url=https://dbtindia.gov.in/insacog |website=Government of India Ministry of Science & Technology |access-date=28 September 2021}} All these 10 laboratories are required to share 5% of positive samples to INSACOG for further research and studies. A National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) nodal unit maintain a database of all samples of the new variants. Two national genomic sequencing database centers are appointed 1) National Institute of Biomedical Genomics and 2) CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology.{{cite news|title=10 labs to be regional hubs for genome sequencing|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/10-labs-to-be-regional-hubs-for-genome-sequencing/articleshow/80001484.cms|work=The Times of India|first=Sushmi|last=Dey|date=29 December 2020|accessdate=17 May 2021}} In its early research INSACOG identified virus variant Lineage B.1.617 referred to as a double mutation variant.{{cite news |last1=Koshy |first1=Jacob |title=Coronavirus {{!}} Indian 'double mutant' strain named B.1.617 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/indian-double-mutant-strain-named-b1617/article34274663.ece/amp/ |work=The Hindu |date=8 April 2021 |language=en-IN|access-date=2021-04-19|quote=Though these mutations have individually been found in several other coronavirus variants, the presence of both these mutations together have been first found in some coronavirus genomes from India.}}{{cite news|title=EXCLUSIVE Scientists say India government ignored warnings amid coronavirus surge|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-scientists-say-india-government-ignored-warnings-amid-coronavirus-2021-05-01/|work=Reuters|first1=Devjyot|last1=Ghoshal|first2=Krishna N|last2=Das|date=3 May 2021|accessdate=17 May 2021}}