As reported from the Molecular Anthropology and Human Colony Genetics Lab, Chinese scientists have successfully extracted DNA from ancient bones of Shanghai people, dating back to the period of 4,000-5,000 years ago. This marks a big stride forward for China to set its foot into the modern molecular biology field.
Molecular Anthropology and Human Colony Genetics Lab was co-founded by Shanghai History Museum and Genetics Institute of Fudan University. The two research departments have all along been engaged in DNA study of ancient human bones, and so far, a series of results have been achieved by them.
Prior to this, the lab researchers extracted DNA from ancient human bones of 3,200 years ago in Hami area of Xinjiang. Sequencing test proved that Caucasus and Mongolian races had ever lived together at that time in Hami.
Up to now, the lab has collected a great number of ancient human bone materials from various archaeological sites all over the country and will set up an ancient Chinese bones gene bank.
(People's Daily 01/03/2001)
