Where Did the DNA Come From?

To create a human genome “reference,” researchers used anonymous DNA samples. Most of the DNA came from volunteers living in Buffalo, New York. Around 70% of the final sequence came from one donor, while the remaining data came from 19 other individuals. All samples were anonymized to protect donor privacy and prevent misuse of personal genetic information (NHGRI, 2024).

^{Figure 3. DNA sequencing lab setup at the time of the Human Genome Project. Source: NHGRI Photo Archive.}