Mitali Mukerji was criticised for testing Ayurveda with genomics; now she uses AI

Mitali Mukerji’s journey from molecular genetics to AI-enabled Ayurgenomics. (Photo: X post)In science, some questions are dismissed before anyone seriously tries to answer them.When molecular geneticist Mitali Mukerji began examining whether Ayurveda’s ancient idea of Prakriti, broadly classified into Vata, Pitta and Kapha constitutional types, might have measurable biological correlates, the response was far from unanimous. Years later, a prominent American science blog criticised the emerging field of Ayurgenomics, calling it “woo-omics” and questioning whether genomics was being used to lend scientific legitimacy to traditional medicine.Mukerji approached the subject from within modern science. Her academic career had been built around laboratory research, genomics and molecular genetics. Today, the IISc-trained scientist is a professor at IIT Jodhpur, where her work has expanded towards AI-enabled approaches to integrative precision health.From IISc Bengaluru to human genomicsMukerji earned her PhD in microbial molecular genetics from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, in 1997. Her career subsequently took her into human genomics, rare genetic diseases, functional genomics and population-level genetic variation.Before joining IIT Jodhpur in 2021, she served as Chief Scientist at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) in New Delhi. There, she worked on genomics and molecular medicine and was associated with CSIR’s Ayurgenomics initiative, TRISUTRA.Her research also included hereditary ataxias and the Indian Genome Variation Consortium. These areas formed much of the scientific foundation for the work she later pursued on Ayurvedic constitutional types.Bringing Ayurveda into the genomics laboratoryThe central question was relatively straightforward: could the Ayurvedic concept of individual constitution be examined using modern biological tools?In 2008, Mukerji and her collaborators published a study in the Journal of Translational Medicine titled Whole genome expression and biochemical correlates of extreme constitutional types defined in Ayurveda.The researchers examined whether people classified into extreme Prakriti categories showed differences in molecular and biochemical characteristics. The study became one of the early pieces of research associated with Ayurgenomics, a field exploring possible links between Ayurvedic ideas about individual constitution and modern genomics.The approach was bound to attract questions. How should traditional constitutional categories be defined in biological terms? Could they be measured consistently? And, perhaps most importantly, could any observed differences be separated from factors such as diet, lifestyle, environment and genetics?Those questions have remained central to the debate.When Ayurgenomics drew criticismIn 2011, a ScienceBlogs post titled “Ayurgenomics: The return of woo-omics” sharply criticised the field and specifically discussed Mukerji’s research. The author questioned the scientific basis for connecting Ayurvedic constitutional concepts with genomics.The criticism became part of the wider debate surrounding Ayurgenomics. For Mukerji and her collaborators, however, the research continued.The challenge was not simply to find biological differences between groups. It was to determine whether the categories used in Ayurveda could be translated into clearly defined, measurable variables that could be examined through established scientific methods.That distinction matters. An association found in a study is not, by itself, proof of an Ayurvedic concept. Establishing a meaningful biological relationship requires replication, careful controls and evidence from multiple lines of research.From genomics to AI-enabled precision healthAlmost two decades after the 2008 study, Mukerji’s work sits at another intersection of disciplines: genomics, artificial intelligence and personalised health.At IIT Jodhpur, she is associated with the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering and the School of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. The institute states that she leads the AYURTECH Centre of Excellence in Integrative Precision Health.The centre aims to develop AI-enabled approaches for early and actionable health interventions by bringing together Ayurveda, genomics and engineering sciences.The scientific task is considerably more complicated than simply combining traditional terminology with new technology. Researchers have to identify concepts that can be translated into testable hypotheses, establish reliable measurements and determine whether those findings have practical value in healthcare.A career built around difficult questionsMukerji’s career also offers a useful example of how research can move across disciplinary boundaries.Her training began in molecular genetics at IISc. She went on to work in genomics, genetic disease and population variation before becoming involved in research examining possible biological correlates of Ayurvedic constitutional types. Her current work brings together biology, data science and artificial intelligence.The debate around Ayurgenomics is unlikely to disappear quickly. Questions about methodology, reproducibility and the interpretation of traditional medical concepts will continue to require scrutiny.What makes Mukerji’s career notable is the willingness to take a question rooted in an older system of medicine and examine it with the tools of contemporary biology. Whether particular Ayurvedic concepts ultimately withstand that examination is a matter for evidence, not assumption.Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information and research sources cited above. TOI Education does not independently verify all research findings or conclusions, and the scientific interpretations discussed remain subject to ongoing research and scrutiny.