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The human genome diversity project and the peopling of the Americas

Sérgio D.J. Pena

Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Caixa Postal 486, 30161-970 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. Fax : (5531) 227-3792. E-mail : spena@dcc.ufmg.br

ABSTRACT

The Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP) is an international collaborative research initiative that is being developed under the supervision of the Human Genome Organization (HUGO). The overall goal of the project is to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the world populations by integrating genetic knowledge, derived by the study of human DNA variation, with knowledge of history, anthropology and linguistics. At the end of 1994 the South American Committee of the HGDP was created. This committee, structured in two levels, will promote and coordinate research into the present genetic structure and origins of South American populations, especially the Amerindians. The first academic activity of the South American Committee of the HGDP consisted in a multidisciplinary symposium on the theme of "Peopling of the Americas."

Keywords: human genome; Americas.

REFERENCES

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HGDP (1994). Human Genome Diversity (HGD) Project - Summary Document. London, HUGO Europe, pp. 40.

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