Chandigarh: A known protective genetic marker against HIV-1 is virtually absent in India, implying the absence of natural or genetic protection against HIV-AIDS in the country, former president A P J Abdul Kalam said in Chandigarh on Friday.

Quoting a study of the Indian Statistical Institute and Centre for Genomic Applications including the study of anthropologists from various institutes, he said that the study has shown a clear genetic profile of the Indian population explicitly indicating that there is a strong association between genetic and languishing profiles in India.

",There are significant genetic differences in the frequencies of disease-associated genetic markers,", he said addressing a gathering during the inauguration of the 16th annual national conference of Association of Medical Biochemists in Chandigarh.

He said that the study has generated genetic information on over 4000 genetic markers from over 1000 bio-medically important and pharma-congenitally relevant genes encompassing diversity of populations from across the country.

Kalam said that the overall results of the study will help in making predictions for the diseases and the effectiveness of specific drugs on the diseases.

He said that scientists are carrying out an important nanoparticle research which can improve the methods of detection and treatment for patients with prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related death among men.