Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) have developed a machine learning-based computational tool to detect malignant tumours in the brain and spinal cord. Called glioblastoma mutiform drivers (GBMDriver), the tool is available publicly online.

• Glioblastoma is a fast and aggressively growing tumour with limited therapeutic options and a survival rate of less than two years from the time of initial diagnosis. The GBMDriver was developed to identify mutations in glioblastoma and can be accessed at bit.ly/44ip6PZ
• M. Michael Gromiha, a professor in the Department of Biotechnology at the institute, and his team led the research.
• The team included two alumni from Ohio State University and the National Institute of Health, U.S. Their findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Briefings in Bioinformatics.
• The researchers said their tool could be applied to other diseases; serve as important criteria for disease prognosis; and be a valuable resource to identify mutation-specific drug targets to design therapeutic strategies.