The First Colombian Ancient Genomes And What They Required

The 2025 study’s significance extends beyond its specific scientific findings to what it represents institutionally and methodologically.

This was the first published ancient genomic dataset from Colombia — a country that has been archaeologically active for decades and that sits at one of the most important junctions in New World prehistory.

The lead author, Kim-Louise Krettek, is affiliated with the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment in Germany, one of the world’s leading centers for ancient genomic research.

The co-lead author, Andrea Casas-Vargas, is at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia — representing the growing capacity of Colombian scientific institutions to participate in international ancient DNA research.