Dr Partha Majumder is a principal investigator representing India in the International Cancer Genome Consortium, focussing on oral cancer as a part of the ICGC activities, particularly the gingivo-buccal cancer. He obtained his PhD in statistics from the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, and is considered an authority on in the field of human genetics.

He is also the director of National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, India; professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research; honorary professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research; and honorary director, TCG-ISI Centre for Population Genomics, India. He was formerly a research instructor at the Center for Demographic and Population Genetics, University of Texas, US; visiting assistant professor, human genetics and biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, US; and a genetics consultant, Center for Education and Drug Abuse Research, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, US.

Dr Majumder, in an exclusive conversation with BioSpectrum, speaks about the present situation of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) in Asia and how NGS is going to aid in conducting life science research in the region.

What kind of impact is next generation sequencing (NGS) having on biology research, particularly on the life sciences industry in India and the world?

The impact has been stupendous. Firstly it has been able to answer the questions that biologists have sought to answer for decades but have been unable to address because of lack of appropriate technologies. These questions can now be addressed by next generation sequencing (NGS).