Vietnamese scientists are turning to a new DNA tool to finally give families answers about relatives who died in past wars. The technique, called next‑generation sequencing combined with single‑nucleotide‑polymorphism analysis (NGS‑SNP), can work with the most degraded remains.

Conventional mitochondrial DNA testing has only produced usable data for about 22 % of samples, according to Associate Professor Dr. Phi Quyet Tien. NGS‑SNP, however, can extract genetic information from fragments as short as 30‑70 base pairs.

During a trial at Tra Linh Martyrs’ Cemetery in Cao Bang Province, Dr. Tien reported that roughly 90 % of the tested remains yielded usable SNP data – 54 out of 58 samples met the required standards. In a separate International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) project, DNA was successfully recovered from 42 of 100 samples that had previously failed with older methods.

Vietnam’s 500‑day campaign, running from 15 March 2026 to 27 July 2027, aims to locate about 7,000 sets of remains and to test around 18,000 samples. The programme will continue to use conventional techniques where they work, but will rely on NGS‑SNP for the most challenging cases, dramatically expanding the number of samples that can be analysed.

The contrast between a 22 % success rate with old methods and up to 90 % with NGS‑SNP shows how the new technology is reshaping forensic identification in Vietnam. As more families receive genetic matches, the hope of finally naming their lost loved ones grows stronger.