Science Quickly The quest for Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA
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Jan 23, 2026 Rhonda Roby, a forensic scientist with a strong background in human identification, delves into her role in the quest to uncover Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA. She discusses innovative sampling techniques on historical artworks, emphasizing the challenge of working with tiny biological materials. Rhonda shares surprising discoveries, like detecting malaria in 500-year-old letters, and explores how this research could assist in authenticating art. Ethical considerations arise as they examine the potential misuse of such groundbreaking findings in the realm of art and history.
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Decade-Long Multidisciplinary DNA Search
- A multidisciplinary team has worked for a decade to search for Leonardo da Vinci's DNA using artworks and forensic methods.
- Finding DNA could inform authentication and reveal aspects of Leonardo's biology or vision.
How Roby Joined The Project
- Rhonda Roby described being approached while at the J. Craig Venter Institute to join the project and contributing to family-tree and relative research.
- She emphasized her forensic role working with tiny biological samples from artworks.
Working With Tiny, Mixed Biomass
- The team works with extremely small, mixed biomass from artworks rather than large clinical samples.
- Forensic techniques specialized for low-biomass evidence are essential for this work.