Principal investigator: Prof. Gianumberto Caravello - University of Padova, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Hygiene Division.
The goal of this research is to reconstruct the biological origin and history of the Sherpa population presently living in the Khumbu Valley and in the neighboring areas. A genealogical study based on pedigree drawing of selected subjects, coupled with the analysis of family name distribution in the entire population will be complemented with a population genetic analysis of Y-chromosome STR polymorphisms and other autosomal markers. This study could significantly increase the strength of cultural affiliation and identification of these people. The expected results should provide a coherent picture of the demogenetic dynamic of the population and could serve as a model for improving the approach to the demoecologic studies of human communities. In addition, the collected data could serve to refine the evolutionary tree of the human Y-chromosome.