The “Genetic Journey – Reuniting Fallen Heroes” project, launched on July 23, 2024, is a profound humanitarian initiative spearheaded by the National Data Center of the Ministry of Public Security in collaboration with GeneStory JSC.
The project aims to identify approximately 500,000 unidentified remains of fallen soldiers through nationwide DNA matching—a scientific, modern, and humane approach compared to traditional methods reliant on records and eyewitness accounts.
A key feature of the project is its mobile sampling model, covering the entire country, coupled with the advanced VinGenChip technology. This technology can read tens of thousands of SNP points on the genome, particularly genetic variations unique to Vietnamese individuals.
Dr. Vo Sy Nam discusses the project at the final round of the Human Act Prize 2025.
Within a year, the project has collected 51,000 samples across 34 provinces, conducted over 600 sampling sessions, and initially identified 16 fallen soldiers (within just 2–3 months). The number of identified soldiers continues to grow over time.
According to Dr. Vo Sy Nam, Scientific Director and Co-founder of GeneStory, the greatest challenge lies in nationwide sample collection. Many relatives of fallen soldiers are elderly, requiring the team to visit their homes and verify identities using national ID cards.
Additionally, scientific challenges are significant. Extracting DNA from remains decomposed for 50–70 years is a complex technological task, demanding sophisticated genetic data processing capabilities and high accuracy.
Financial and legal hurdles also persist. The project operates on a socialized model, relying on community and donor funding, while strictly adhering to the Ministry of Public Security’s regulations on personal and biological data.
GeneStory, established on March 30, 2022, began with an initial charter capital of 102.3 billion VND. Vingroup held 99% of shares (101.3 billion VND), while the remaining 1% was held by two individual investors.
Upon its launch, GeneStory’s advantage was its partnership with VinBigData, a leading big data research institute under Vingroup. Its founder, Prof. Vu Ha Van, is a Yale University mathematics professor and VinBigData’s Chief Scientific Officer.
On May 20, 2022, Vingroup announced the partial divestment of its stake in GeneStory, ceasing to be its parent company.
GeneStory is now a leading Vietnamese enterprise in DNA data analysis and integration. Its team of over 40 experts in data science, genetics, and bioinformatics manages the entire process—from sampling to data interpretation—with over 99% accuracy.
Since September 24, 2024, the company’s charter capital has increased to over 122 billion VND, a 20 billion VND rise since its inception. The CEO and legal representative is Mr. Duong Ngoc Cuong (born 1979), a Toxicology PhD from Korea’s Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology.
