Department of Medical Genetics

The Department of Medical Genetics at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow is the brainchild of Late Prof S S Agarwal. This department is the first department of Medical Genetics in a medical institute in India. Prof S S Agarwal was involved in planning of SGPGIMS and he conceptualized the need of medical genetics speciality in a medical teaching institute. Hence, the department of Medical Genetics, the first one in the country came into existence at the beginning of SGPGIMS. The department started its functioning in 1988. The first student for DM in Medical Genetics joined in Jan 1990. Over the last 3 decades, the department has trained 43 DM in Medical Genetics. These SGPGIMS alumni are heading most of the medical genetics departments in India and have contributed greatly to the establishment of Medical Genetics speciality in India. The department has state-of-the-art facilities in clinical and laboratory based diagnosis of common and rare genetic disorders with latest technologies. The department is well known for pre and postnatal diagnosis of malformation syndromes. Many new syndromes have been reported and are included in OMIM – A Catalogue of Genetic Disorders and Genes. The department runs comprehensive management services for genetic haematological disorders namely; thalassemia, hemoglobinopathies and haemophilia. Uttar Pradesh government has been funding the institute for free treatment of these disorders for the last few years. In addition to diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders, the department has expertise in genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis which are important components of management of genetic disorders. The contribution of Medical Genetics department of SGPGIMS and vision of Professor S S Agarwal will be always remembered by the country. . These SGPGIMS alumni are heading most of the medical genetics in India and have contributed greatly to the establishment of Medical Genetics speciality in India.