Researches on the biology of Himalayan populations

This long term project is aimed to study the following points: 1. Evolutionary adaptation to high altitude. 2. Population genetics of high altitude populations and 3. Mechanisms of resistance to malaria in some of these. The study suggests that the Sherpa of Nepal and the Quechua of Peru, living at altitude about 4000m, may have adapted to low oxygen pressure. The results of biochemical marker studies show that the Himalayan populations may remain genetically separated even when sharing the same village. Studies relating to resistance to falciparum malaria indicate that the immunity, conferred on the Tharu against malaria, may not involve erythrocytes exclusively.