古代人群的遗传多样性研究是探讨人类进化与迁徙、交流与融合的有利工具。我们的前期研究发现：虽然中国东部与西部地区的古代人群在父系遗传构成方面存在差异，但是在两地区的某些古代人群中也存在Y-染色体单倍型共享的状况，暗示东部与西部古代人群间存在父系方面的基因交流。而河西走廊是连接西域与中原腹地的交通枢纽，自古以来就对东、西部地区的物质文化交流起着重要的作用，同时又有着"民族走廊"之称，由此我们推测河西走廊在东西部人群的基因交流方面也起着桥梁和纽带作用。本项目以河西走廊沿路7个遗址出土的古人类遗骸为研究对象，利用分子生物学的研究方法对其Y染色体的SNP位点和STR多态性进行检测，揭示河西走廊人群的父系起源及遗传构成。在结合考古学证据和相关古代人群遗传数据的基础上阐明该地区古代人群父系遗传构成的动态演变过程，进而为研究北方古代族群起源与流向、融合与分化的具体模式奠定基础。

Ancient DNA study is a good way to trace and date the dispersal of Eurasian genetic lineages and better understand the origin of current population. The findings deduced from our previously study of patrilineal genetic diversity suggested a probable gene communicate between ancient Eastern and western Chinese. Hexi Corridor is closely adjacent Northern Asia, an intermediate region of the Eurasian continent. Moreover, as a part of the Silk Road through the Northwest of China once had an important role in the east-west intercommunications, and thus this region maybe the bridge of gene exchange between different ancient populations. Besides, the Hexi region has different religious faith, cultures and life customs, a number of ethnic groups inhabit in there, and presumably experienced complicate history. The abundance of human genetic resources, but the lack of knowledge about population structure, especially the absence of a detailed Y Chromosomal variation data. This motivated our endeavors to dissect paternally genetic structure, and provid some valuable information about the origin and the population-forming processes of the Northern Chinese.