In science, some questions are dismissed long before anyone tries to answer them.When molecular geneticist Mitali Mukerji began exploring whether Ayurveda’s ancient idea of Prakriti — broadly classified into Vata, Pitta and Kapha constitutional types — might have measurable biological correlates, the reaction was not universally welcoming. Years later, a prominent American science blog would launch a sharp attack on the emerging field of Ayurgenomics, calling it “woo-omics” and questioning whether genomics was being used to legitimise traditional medicine.Mukerji, however, was not approaching the subject as an outsider to modern science. Her academic journey had been built firmly inside laboratories, genomics and molecular genetics. Today, the IISc-trained scientist is a professor at IIT Jodhpur, where her work is extending towards AI-enabled approaches to integrative precision health.
From IISc Bengaluru to the frontiers of human genomics
Mukerji earned her PhD in microbial molecular genetics from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, in 1997. Her scientific career subsequently took her deep 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, where she led work in genomics and molecular medicine and was associated with CSIR’s Ayurgenomics initiative, TRISUTRA.Her research career also included work on hereditary ataxias and the Indian Genome Variation Consortium, reflecting a scientific foundation far removed from the simplistic idea that her later work was merely an attempt to defend tradition.
The question that brought Ayurveda into the genomics laboratory
The turning point came with a question: could the Ayurvedic concept of individual constitution be examined using modern biological tools?In 2008, researchers including 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 research investigated whether individuals classified into extreme Prakriti categories showed differences in molecular and biochemical characteristics. The study became part of the foundation for what came to be known as Ayurgenomics — an effort to explore possible connections between Ayurvedic concepts of individual constitution and modern genomics.That did not mean the scientific debate was over. It had only begun.
When Ayurgenomics became a scientific battleground
In 2011, a ScienceBlogs post titled “Ayurgenomics: The return of woo-omics” launched a strong critique of the field and specifically discussed Mukerji’s work. The author questioned the scientific basis of attempting to connect Ayurvedic constitutional concepts with genomics.That criticism is an important part of the story because it illustrates something larger about scientific careers: publishing a paper does not end a debate. Sometimes, it begins one.Mukerji and her collaborators continued exploring the area, while the broader question remained scientifically challenging — how can traditional systems of classifying human individuality be tested using measurable, modern biological data?
From controversy to AI-enabled precision health
Nearly two decades after the 2008 study, Mukerji’s work is now located at another intersection: genomics, artificial intelligence and personalised health.At IIT Jodhpur, she is affiliated with the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering as well as the School of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. The institute states that she leads the AYURTECH Centre of Excellence in Integrative Precision Health, which aims to build AI-enabled frameworks for early and actionable health interventions by integrating principles and practices of Ayurveda with genomics and engineering sciences.The ambition is significant, but so is the scientific challenge. The goal is not simply to place ancient terminology next to modern technology. The harder task is to determine which ideas can be translated into measurable hypotheses, tested rigorously and potentially developed into evidence-based approaches.
The lesson for students is bigger than Ayurveda
Mitali Mukerji’s career offers an unusual lesson for students entering research.Scientific curiosity does not guarantee scientific acceptance. Asking an unpopular question can bring criticism, especially when it crosses boundaries between disciplines that are rarely placed in the same conversation.But curiosity alone is not enough either. A controversial idea has to survive evidence, testing and scrutiny.From a PhD in molecular genetics at IISc to leading genomics research at CSIR-IGIB and now working at IIT Jodhpur at the intersection of biology and AI, Mukerji’s journey shows what happens when a scientist refuses to treat disciplinary boundaries as permanent walls.The debate around Ayurgenomics may continue. But the question she chose to ask — whether old frameworks of understanding human individuality can be examined using the tools of modern biology — has already ensured that the conversation moved from the page to the laboratory.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.