Genetic history of Peru

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Debate about the patterning of genetic diversity in human populations has centered on the importance of language, geography, and gene flow. Because of the diversity of languages and environments, Peru is an ideal place to investigate these issues. For this project, samples are being obtained from geographically diverse parts of Peru and from different language and ethnic groups, although the project will focus in particular on populations speaking Quechua and Aymara languages. The general aim of this research is to examine autosomal, mitochondrial DNA, and Y chromosome markers in order to investigate the spatial distribution of present-day diversity and the extent of admixture between native and non-native peoples. In particular, differences between male and female patterns of admixture will be studied. In addition, hypotheses about the relationship between genetics, geography and language in the central Andes will be tested. This project will investigate the prehistoric migrations into South American and the relationship between the language families in Peru and other parts of the Americas. This research will be conducted at the Laboratory of Molecular Anthropology at the University of New Mexico and in Peru at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and Universidad Ricardo Palma. This project will also include training of both American and Peruvian students and public outreach through Spanish and English versions of a web page about the project.