World's 1st foetal brain mapping tech: IIT-M team developed tools to slice brain to 0.5 microns, says Prof Kamakoti

CHENNAI: In a significant achievement, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) has unveiled the world’s first most detailed 3D images of the foetal brain. In a conversation with DT Next, IIT-M Director V Kamakoti said that the institute’s achievement would advance the field of neuroscience and treatment for brain-related disorders.

Excerpts...

Q: You announced the dedication of foetal brain mapping technology to the world. Why?

A: Because we wanted the technology to be available to everyone, and the world can benefit from it. No comprehensive research on the entire human brain has been conducted anywhere so far. We’ve made this possible for the first time in the world. We obtained the 5 foetal brains in the second trimester for research and studied the connection between them in different ways. We’ve documented it all digitally in 3D format.

Q: Why the second trimester?

A: Because that’s when they are fully developed. Brains from the first trimester are not fully developed, while those from the third trimester cannot be obtained due to legal and ethical considerations. Abortions, medical complications, diseases, and natural causes are some of the reasons for foetal death. Though the heart stops, the brains are fully intact and properly developed. So we use them for research, with the consent of parents concerned and the hospital, by following the relevant legal procedures.

Q: How will this technology be useful in the medical sector, especially in the field of brain and neuroscience treatment?

A: This technology is not even available at the Allen Brain Atlas Research Institute in the US. In hospitals, especially for brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, autism, etc, doctors use the MRI to scan the brain and treat it based on the data it provides. With the 3D brain mapping technology we’ve developed, we can know the brain of a foetus that is basically free of any disease very accurately in 3D format and compare it with the MRI scan report of the patient, to know where (in the brain) the damage has occurred (neuronal dysfunction, haemorrhage, etc), and provide treatment accordingly.

Q: How many brain samples were obtained? How many parts were used?

A: Five brains were used, and 5,132 parts were captured in full digital form using our indigenous brain mapping technology. Also, in the last 2 years, our Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre has acquired nearly 200 brains from various hospitals in India, including brains of various ages (foetal, neonate, young adult, adult, old age), brains affected by various diseases (stroke, dementia), etc, and has been continuously working to convert them into digital volumes at cellular resolution.

Q: You mentioned that this effort could win a Nobel Prize…

A: Researching a small brain that works with 20 watts of power is a huge puzzle. It will not stop here. We sliced the brain connected at the cellular level, layer by layer, to a size of 0.5 microns (one-tenth of a human hair), researched it, brought it to a digital format, and presented it in a very detailed 3D format. This is the initial level. When the research goes to the next level, we’ll definitely create many achievements.

Q: How does IITM’s effort compare to global brain research initiatives?

A: Many countries in the world are doing a lot of research. But our data is the first and foremost to learn about the complete human brain in 3D format.

Q: Who were all involved in this research?

A: This research was conducted under the leadership of Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam from the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT-M, the city-based Mediscan Systems and Saveetha Medical College Hospital. Researchers from India, Australia, USA, Romania and South Africa also participated in this.

Q: How was this research funded?

A: Our valuable alumni, principal scientific advisor to the GoI, and co-founder of Infosys, Kris Gopalakrishnan, and NVIDIA, the leading AI company, and a few others provided financial support for this research. We also received financial support from the Union government. We’ve spent only one-tenth of the amount spent on such research in developed countries including the US ($15 million). At a very low cost, we’ve created a global technology for the first time and dedicated it to the world.

Q: When did this research start, and what challenges did you face?

A: We started this research before the COVID-19 era. We continued during the pandemic and amid various crises. Each of us faced many challenges at all stages. Most importantly, there are no tools anywhere to slice the brain to 0.5 microns. Our team developed it.

Q: How can doctors and hospitals access this technology?

A: We’ve published a large amount of data, ‘Dharani’, on the website https://brainportal.humanbrain.in/public view/index.html. We’ve a separate section for queries, which will be answered promptly. We’ll only clarify how to access the brain images. We’ll not interfere in the treatment of the disease.

Q: What’s next for the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre?

A: We’ve just crossed 1 metre in a journey of 10,000 km. We’ve taken the first step based on the famous Chinese proverb, ‘Every long journey has a first step’. Even after our time, the work of this centre will continue but I cannot reveal what the work will be right now.

Factbox:

- What is brain mapping?

Brain mapping is a process by which a brain mapping tool or technique such as an EEG, CT, or MRI is used to collect data and produce a visual report in which brain function is analysed.

- What’s a foetal brain?

The foetal brain begins to develop during the third week of gestation. By the 9th week of pregnancy, the brain appears as a small, smooth structure.

- At what age is a foetus’ brain fully developed?

By the end of the second trimester. This part of the brain is located just above the spinal cord. The nervous system has developed enough to detect loud noises from outside.