UOG recently welcomed Miguel Vilar, Ph.D., project manager and scientific lead for the National Geographic Society’s Genographic Project, who presented his studies on “Researching the Origins and Genetic Distinctiveness of Chamorro’s: A Bi-åparental Analysis” on Jan. 26 in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) Lecture Hall.
“We’re very happy to be able to have you share with us this special event to provide more clues about the origin of the Chamorro people,” said President Dr.Robert Underwood during his opening remarks.
Vilar gave his first lecture at the University of Guam in 2013 concentrating on mitochondrial (maternal) DNA. During his visit, Vilar took approximately 85 samples and presented his results with his latest findings associated with Bi-parental (both maternal and paternal) DNA.
“Through the National Geographic Society’s Genographic Project, we can argue about the origins of the people, not just by the stroke of a pen or a written article or the physical remains, but by something like this. A cotton swab.”
Through the cotton swab sample, Vilar was able to discover the geno chromosome make up of DNA. Vilar has conducted studies using the mtDNA and Y-DNA diversity by observing haplogroups, which are groups or lineages that share mutations and are thus related. Haplogroup K is exclusive to the Chamorro people.
Origin of Y-DNA Haplogroup O1 (P164) are found in 48% of Chamorro men. It is found in men with eight diffefrent surnames including Camacho, Reyes, Molani, Cepeda, Sablan, Agoun, Flores and Martinez. On the genographic website, after you have submitted your test kit, 10 weeks later it will display your results of lineage where your haplogroups are from.
If you are interested in purchasing a kit to better understand your ancestry, please visit https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/.
Geno 2.0 Next Generation Genographic Project Participation and DNA Ancestry Kit costs $150 to the general public, however Students are eligible for a discounted price of $130.