Jerome Carson

The human male specific Y-chromosome passes from father to son essentially unchanged, but occasionally a random change, known as a mutation, occurs. These mutations, also called markers, serve as beacons and can be mapped. When geneticists identify a mutation in a DNA test, they try to determine when it first occurred and in which part of the world. Thus, the Y-chromosome haplogroup, which is a population group descended from a common ancestor, can be used to trace the paternal lines of men. The poster describes a research project that aims to identify the ancient geographical origins of key ethnic communities of the Indian subcontinent, based on their Y-DNA haplogroups.