PhD Philip Francis Thomsen, from professor Eske Willerslev's Centre for GeoGenetics at the University of Copenhagen, performed the DNA analyses that led to the groundbreaking results.
"I was very surprised and happy when I saw the first results from the DNA analyses of the leeches. We kept finding new DNA sequences from local Vietnamese mammals, only from analysing very few leeches. The new method could become very important for gaining knowledge on threatened mammals," says PhD Philip Francis Thomsen.
"It could give us insight to which mammal species are present in a given area, including new and unknown species. The recent revolution in DNA-sequencing technology, combined with a simple but innovative idea, have made this possible," explains Philip Francis Thomsen.
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| Contact: Philip Francis Thomsen pfthomsen@snm.ku.dk 01-145-271-42046 University of Copenhagen Source:Eurekalert |