The Hindu Business Line : Original kin

The earliest humans are believed to have spread out from Africa. The `Genographic Project' tries to find out the different migratory routes they took.

Who am I? Where have I come from? These may appear to be rhetorical questions. But the National Geographic channel and IBM have teamed up to find relevant answers. They have launched the first worldwide `Genographic Project' to trace the history of human migration.

It is a well-established fact that human beings began migrating from Africa to other parts of the world some 60,000 years ago. But the exact pattern of the migrations remains a mystery even today. The five-year Genographic Project will help establish these human migratory patterns via biological information, besides uncovering the origins of our morphological diversity.

The project, billed the largest ever undertaken anywhere in the world, involves collection of DNA information through voluntary blood samples from one lakh indigenous people. The others will submit cheek swabs.

Dr Spencer Wells, Explorer-in-Residence at National Geographic channel who is spearheading the project, says he got the idea from some earlier work he'd done on human migratory patterns.

"That analysis was based on 10,000 samples from around the world and told us some things about the early migratory routes of man out of Africa. But we still lack data on migration patterns in the last 10-15 years. Our DNA carries a story that is shared by everyone. Over the next five years we will be deciphering that story, which is now in danger of being lost as people migrate and mix to a much greater extent than they have in the past."

Dr Wells began putting the latest project together in 2003. He says National Geographic was interested since the project focussed on human history, "but we also realised that we needed to partner with a technology company. Our first choice was IBM, which came on board one year ago."

Since April this year, a team of international scientists and IBM researchers has been collecting genetic samples and analysing results to trace the genetic roots of humans. With funding from the Waitt Family Foundation, the scientists will establish 10 centres around the world.

The procedure is rather simple. A cheek-swab test kit with instructions is available for $99.95 with an access code number. Using the code, the participant can access his or her personalised genetic migratory history on the project Web site.

The individual results focus on a small number of genetic markers found in the non-recombinant Y-chromosome in men and mitochondrial-DNA in women.

The Genographic Project has three core components.

Field research that involves collecting DNA samples from indigenous populations. An international advisory board will oversee the selection of indigenous populations for testing and research protocols.

Public participation and awareness campaign.

The Genographic legacy project.

Proceeds from the sale of test kits will help fund future research on world cultures. The legacy project will support education and culture preservation projects among the participating indigenous groups.

Besides providing the migratory history of humans, the Genographic Project is also expected to help researchers understand issues such as the origin and dispersal of languages, and marriage patterns within a community.

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