Affymetrix signed an agreement with Avesthagen for the use of its microarray technology in The AvestaGenome Project™, a genetic study of over 60,000 Parsi individuals. Based in India, the project aims at exploring the genetic basis of longevity and creating a genetic, genealogic, and medical database of the Parsi-Zoroastrian population.

The project is designed to discover biomarkers and drug targets that can result in predictive, preventive, and personalized healthcare. The Parsi community was selected because of its longevity and its relatively genetically homogeneous population. Thirty-one percent of the Parsi population lives beyond the age of 60, compared to 7% nationally, Avesthagen reports.

Complete press release here