Efforts to restore the identity of soldiers who died in war have now received a significant boost through the adoption of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology. This innovation marks a crucial turning point in addressing the challenge of identifying biological samples buried for decades under extreme climatic conditions, which previously caused severe DNA degradation.
Dr. Tran Trung Thanh, Director of the DNA Testing Center at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, revealed that the condition of the remains in Vietnam is among the most challenging in the world. Conventional methods based on mitochondrial genomes used over the past 15 years yielded an accuracy rate of only around 20 percent. However, by utilizing the more complex nuclear genome, NGS technology can now analyze extremely short DNA fragments with significantly higher precision.
This system offers a comprehensive solution ranging from cutting-edge extraction techniques to data management software automation. The success of this method is evident in the dramatic increase in the DNA extraction rate from bones, which surged from 22 percent to 80 percent. Forensic expert Vu Anh Tuan added that the main advantage of this technology is its ability to trace kinship up to four or five generations, through both paternal and maternal lineages.
The effectiveness of this new approach has been field-tested, such as in trials at Tra Linh Martyrs Cemetery, which achieved an extraction success rate of over 93 percent. Currently, the scale of this technology's application is being expanded to Giong Rieng Martyrs Cemetery, home to nearly 1,000 unidentified graves. This step is projected to become a main pillar supporting the "500-Day Campaign" to accelerate the martyr identification process nationwide.
Looking ahead, the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology plans to optimize this technological workflow so it can be distributed to various laboratories across Vietnam. This technology transfer is expected to bring closure to heroes' families who have waited for decades, while fulfilling the nation's historical duty to pay final respects to the martyrs.
