Prof. Dr. Yehia Z. Gad, Emeritus Prof in the NRC and the Scientific Supervisor of the ancient DNA lab at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.

Ancient DNA Research in Egypt

The beginnings of the ancient DNA (aDNA) research field has been linked to the study of ancient Egyptian artifacts with the first publication on an ancient human subject [i.e. an Egyptian mummy] by Paabo in 1985. Afterwards, the field of aDNA analysis has faced many technical challenges that slowed down its rapid progress. Only within the past decade, there has been a significant progress in the aDNA analytical methods and tools, thanks to tremendous technological advances that enabled researchers to generate big datasets from minute samples of biological remains. This unprecedented opportunity to draw clearer images of the ancient civilizations has become a cornerstone for the new wave of evidence-based archaeology.

In Cairo, two dedicated aDNA labs were established in 2007 to launch the field of molecular Egyptology in Egypt. Within the following years, the research focused on the study of some Royal mummies using mainly targeted molecular analysis, to answer a number of questions related to kinship and human disease. On the other hand, within the last two years, the lab research teams have stepped up their methodological approach through the utilization of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology which has become the standard analytical platform in the field. The NGS comprehensive analytical capabilities enable the labs to currently investigate in depth a number of Royal mummies and other human remains. In the current presentation, the presenter will share with the floor highlights on previous and current activities of the Egyptian labs.