UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Ministry of Tribal Affairs, CSIR and IGIB Organized Workshop on “BIRSA 101” — India’s First Indigenous CRISPR-Based Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease

Question 1

Comparable foreign CRISPR-based gene therapies for Sickle Cell Disease, against which India's indigenously developed BIRSA 101 is being positioned as a low-cost alternative, are reported to be priced at approximately how many crore rupees per patient?

Accepted Answer

Rs 20–25 crore

Answer

Rs 5–10 crore

Answer

Rs 50–60 crore

Answer

Rs 100–120 crore

Question 2

BIRSA 101, India's first indigenous CRISPR-Cas9-based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease, has been developed by which one of the following institutions?

Accepted Answer

CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi

Answer

CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad

Answer

National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi

Answer

Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad

Question 3

India's first indigenous CRISPR-Cas9 based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease, 'BIRSA 101', has been developed by which one of the following institutions?

Accepted Answer

CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi

Answer

CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad

Answer

National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi

Answer

Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad

Question 4

With reference to the genetics of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and Sickle Cell Trait (SCT), consider the following statements: 1. SCD follows an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance, whereas SCT carriers are heterozygous for the mutation. 2. The HBB gene that encodes the beta-globin chain is located on chromosome 11, and the sickling mutation substitutes valine for glutamic acid at the 6th position of the beta-globin chain. 3. Individuals with Sickle Cell Trait (HbAS) are generally asymptomatic except under conditions of severe hypoxia, while HbSS homozygotes manifest the full clinical disease. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 5

Sickle Cell Disease, targeted under India's National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, is caused by a point mutation in which one of the following genes and chromosomal locations?

Accepted Answer

HBB gene on chromosome 11

Answer

HBA1 gene on chromosome 16

Answer

G6PD gene on the X chromosome

Answer

SPTA1 gene on chromosome 1

Question 6

With reference to the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, consider the following States:
1. Kerala
2. Punjab
3. Jharkhand
4. Arunachal Pradesh
Which of the above are correctly identified as 'high-focus States' under the Mission?

Accepted Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

2 and 4 only

Answer

1, 3 and 4 only

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 7

Under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, in how many 'high-focus States' is universal screening of the population in the 0–40 years age group being undertaken?

Accepted Answer

17

Answer

15

Answer

19

Answer

21

Question 8

In which year did the Union Cabinet approve the declaration of 15th November, the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, as 'Janjatiya Gaurav Divas'?

Accepted Answer

2021

Answer

2019

Answer

2020

Answer

2022

Question 9

BIRSA 101, described as India's first indigenous CRISPR-Cas9 based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease, has been developed by CSIR-IGIB, an institute that functions under which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, under the Ministry of Science and Technology

Answer

Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology

Answer

Indian Council of Medical Research, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Answer

Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Question 10

The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, which targets universal screening of populations aged 0-40 years across 17 tribal-dominated States to eliminate Sickle Cell Disease by 2047, is implemented primarily by which one of the following Union Ministries?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Answer

Ministry of Tribal Affairs

Answer

Ministry of Science and Technology

Answer

Ministry of AYUSH

Question 11

In the context of regulation of gene therapy products such as BIRSA 101 in India, the Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) functions under which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology

Answer

Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)

Answer

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

Answer

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Question 12

Which one of the following was the world's first regulator-approved gene therapy based on CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology?

Accepted Answer

Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel)

Answer

Lyfgenia (lovotibeglogene autotemcel)

Answer

Zynteglo (betibeglogene autotemcel)

Answer

Skysona (elivaldogene autotemcel)

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Ministry of Tribal Affairs, CSIR and IGIB Organized Workshop on “BIRSA 101” — India’s First Indigenous CRISPR-Based Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease

Q1. Comparable foreign CRISPR-based gene therapies for Sickle Cell Disease, against which India's indigenously developed BIRSA 101 is being positioned as a low-cost alternative, are reported to be priced at approximately how many crore rupees per patient?

Q2. BIRSA 101, India's first indigenous CRISPR-Cas9-based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease, has been developed by which one of the following institutions?

Q3. India's first indigenous CRISPR-Cas9 based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease, 'BIRSA 101', has been developed by which one of the following institutions?

Q5. Sickle Cell Disease, targeted under India's National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, is caused by a point mutation in which one of the following genes and chromosomal locations?

Q6. With reference to the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, consider the following States: 1. Kerala 2. Punjab 3. Jharkhand 4. Arunachal Pradesh Which of the above are correctly identified as 'high-focus States' under the Mission?

Q7. Under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, in how many 'high-focus States' is universal screening of the population in the 0–40 years age group being undertaken?

Q8. In which year did the Union Cabinet approve the declaration of 15th November, the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, as 'Janjatiya Gaurav Divas'?

Q9. BIRSA 101, described as India's first indigenous CRISPR-Cas9 based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease, has been developed by CSIR-IGIB, an institute that functions under which one of the following?

Q10. The National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, which targets universal screening of populations aged 0-40 years across 17 tribal-dominated States to eliminate Sickle Cell Disease by 2047, is implemented primarily by which one of the following Union Ministries?

Q11. In the context of regulation of gene therapy products such as BIRSA 101 in India, the Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) functions under which one of the following?

Q12. Which one of the following was the world's first regulator-approved gene therapy based on CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology?