Argentina’s national genetics bank created to identify stolen babies

In 1982, Argentine geneticist Victor Penchaszadeh was living in exile in New York when he received a call that would change the course of his career.

Two founding members of the campaign group, the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, were asking for his help to find their kidnapped grandchildren.

Between 1976 and 1983, Argentina was under military rule. During this period, thousands of mainly young, left-wing people were forcibly disappeared - taken to clandestine detention centres, where many were tortured and killed. Hundreds of babies were born in captivity. Their mothers were later murdered, and the children were often given to families with ties to the regime - and never told their true identities.

The Grandmothers travelled the world, desperately asking scientists one question: Without the presence of the parents, could their blood be used to identify their lost grandchildren?

Dr Penchaszadeh was the first to say yes.

He tells Vicky Farncombe how that answer led to the creation of the world’s first national genetic data bank—and the eventual reunion of 140 grandchildren with their real families.

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(Photo: Estela de Carlotto is reunited with her lost grandchild Ignacio Hurban. Credit: Reuters)