Why in news?
On 26 March 2026, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) and the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) unveiled the CALM‑Brain digital repository in Bengaluru. The platform stores brain‑imaging and clinical data to accelerate research into major psychiatric disorders.
Background
CALM‑Brain is part of the Rohini Nilekani Centre for Brain and Mind, a collaboration between NIMHANS and NCBS supported by Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies. It builds on the Accelerator Program for Discovery in Brain disorders using Stem cells (ADBS), which began in 2016 and was funded by the Department of Biotechnology and the Pratiksha Trust. ADBS collected multi‑modal data on patients and healthy volunteers to understand brain changes associated with mental illnesses.
The CALM‑Brain platform makes this data accessible to researchers worldwide. It represents a shift towards open science, where large datasets are shared to spur discoveries and personalised treatments.
Key features
- Multi‑modal data: The repository contains magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional near‑infrared spectroscopy, electro‑encephalogram (EEG) recordings, genetic information and clinical assessments. Combining these modalities helps researchers study both structure and function of the brain.
- Focus on five disorders: CALM‑Brain initially concentrates on addiction, bipolar disorder, dementia, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia. These conditions were chosen because they impose a heavy burden and share overlapping biological pathways.
- Open access: Researchers can apply to access anonymised data, enabling cross‑institutional studies. The platform encourages collaborations and has built‑in tools to analyse large datasets.
- Clinical impact: By tracking patients over time, CALM‑Brain aims to identify biomarkers of disease onset and progression. This could lead to earlier diagnosis and personalised treatment plans.
Importance for India
Mental health disorders are often under‑diagnosed and under‑researched in India. CALM‑Brain represents a major leap in building domestic capacity for neuroscience research. It also exemplifies how public–private partnerships can create infrastructure that benefits the global scientific community.
Sources: Indian Express · ADBS Project (NIMHANS/NCBS)
