Decoding Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA and Genetic Legacy

Investigating da Vinci’s DNA

Occasionally, a truly exceptional genius emerges, whose ideas radically change the world. This was, for example, the case of Nikola Tesla, who was instrumental in developing today’s electrical technology.

Another, more ancient, and maybe even more impressive example was Leonardo da Vinci.

Da Vinci was a remarkable artist, having notably produced the Mona Lisa painting, maybe one of the world’s most valuable paintings, estimated at $800M-$1B.

Source: Wikipedia

But he was so much more than that, and is described as a polymath, an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects. He was a groundbreaking innovator, working as an engineer in Renaissance Italy, inventing tools for lifting water, and imagining the first concept of a flying machine, and even armored tanks.

Source: Wikipedia

He was also a scientist whose knowledge spanned many scientific fields, ranging from anatomy to astronomy, botany, cartography, medicine, and paleontology.

Source: Britannica

What made this man a genius is a mystery, but it is also something that scientists are trying to explore through new insights into genetics and genomics.

In a new book titled “Genìa Da Vinci. Genealogy and Genetics for Leonardo’s DNA“, Italian scientists used genomic techniques to investigate Leonardo da Vinci’s lineage.

While he never had children, his half-brothers did (some other accounts mention up to 22 half-brothers), and the scientists performed a complete genealogy & genomic study to find da Vinci’s relatives alive today.

Source: Mambo Italiano

This study should also help solve once and for all any debate about the official burial site of da Vinci, officially in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert, at the Château d’Amboise in France. As the castle was destroyed in the French Revolution and some graves destroyed, and bones scattered, the fate of da Vinci’s remains is today somewhat unclear.

The study could also give insight into what gave da Vinci his exceptional mind and talents.

Tracing Leonardo da Vinci’s Family Tree With DNA

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Reconstructing Leonardo’s Bloodline

Using historical sources and archival documents, the researchers published¹ reconstructed branches of the family to which Leonardo belonged, including the identification of 15 direct male-line descendants related genealogically to both Leonardo’s father and to his half-brother, Domenico Benedetto.

This created a family tree going back to 1331, covering 21 generations and over 400 individuals.

Source: Mambo Italiano

Fourteen living relatives have been identified, of which six, whose genomes were tested, all have matching segments of the Y chromosome with da Vinci’s father and male relatives, such as Mr. Dalmazio Vinci.

Source: Mambo Italiano

The research also confirmed the existence of a Da Vinci family tomb in the Church of Santa Croce in the Italian town of Vinci, currently under archaeological excavation in collaboration with the University of Florence.

The tomb might be the burial site of Leonardo’s grandfather Antonio, uncle Francesco, and several half-brothers — Antonio, Pandolfo, and Giovanni.

“This is not just about the author of the world’s most famous painting. It’s a challenge to redefine the limits of historical knowledge and cultural heritage.”

Jesse H. Ausubel – The Rockefeller University & director of the Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project

The analysis also seems to confirm that da Vinci was an illegitimate son of a young notary working for the wealthy banker Vanni di Niccolò di ser Vanni, and Caterina, a slave working for the banking family.

Ancient DNA For New Answers

If enough DNA fragments can be sequenced, the bones at the Chapel of Saint-Hubert could be positively identified as da Vinci’s.

Together with analysis of Leonardo’s relatives’ genomes, it could provide new insight into Leonardo’s genetic heritage, physical traits, and perhaps even vulnerabilities that shaped his life and work.

“Through the recovery of Leonardo’s DNA, we hope to understand the biological roots of his extraordinary visual acuity, creativity, and possibly even aspects of his health and causes of death.”

Alessandro Vezzosi – Co-Author of the book

This analysis could also help identify with definite certainty the authorship of some documents or art pieces attributed to da Vinci, but for which some doubts persist.

“Even a tiny fingerprint on a page could contain cells to sequence.

21st-century biology is moving the boundary between the unknowable and the unknown. Soon we may gain information about Leonardo and other historical figures once believed lost forever.”

Jesse H. Ausubel – The Rockefeller University & director of the Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project

Source: Mambo Italiano

Genomics Beyond Medicine: Wider Applications

From a scientific point of view, any unique feature of da Vinci’s DNA regarding genes known to impact intelligence, vision, or other biological features would be extremely interesting to explain his exceptional talents.

This is one among many new applications of genomics going beyond just biotech and medicine. For example, gene editing could help avoid species extinctions or is even used to bring back extinct species like the dire wolves from the dead.

And now, the combination of advanced gene editing (notably CRISPR), genome data, and AI could help perform not just individual gene editing, but entire genome editing projects.

We are, of course, far from manufacturing on demand da Vinci’s like geniuses like in the movie GATTACA, a prospect both attractive and terrifying if its moral and ethical implications are handled poorly.

Source: Frame Rated

This new book nevertheless proves that different sciences often progress through their interaction with each other. And that archaeology, history, medicine, and genomics might soon be a lot more intertwined than before.

Illumina

While the other -omics in multiomics (proteomics, transcriptomics, etc.) are important, almost all articulate one way or another around genomics, the core “instruction manual” of every living cell. And as we have seen in the news above, the usefulness of genomic sequencing is only expanding further.

By far, the largest producer of genome sequencing machines is Illumina. The company is focused on short genetic sequence reading, which is the one used for cancer detection. It currently has 22,000+ installed sequencers in 165 countries.

Around half of Illumina’s sequencing machines’ consumables are used in clinical applications, with the other half used in public and private research labs. In clinical applications, half of the demand comes from oncology.

Source: Illumina

As genomics and multiomics become the center of the drug discovery process, as well as cancer diagnostics, Illumina’s equipment is expected to be in high demand. The company expects the demand for NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) to grow by 18% CAGR for clinical applications and 6% CAGR for research, boosting the sector’s total addressable market (TAM) from $100B for clinical and to $25B for research by 2033.

Source: Illumina

Illumina had a complicated history with liquid biopsy company Grail (GRAL -0.36%), which was a spin-off from Illumina, later reacquired, and now forced back into a spin-off by competition authorities in the US and the EU.

With this trouble out of the way, Illumina might resume its long-term growth and stock price rise, especially as, ultimately, Grail’s liquid biopsy tests will likely still rely on Illumina sequencers.

(You can also read a more detailed analysis of Illumina’s business, future technologies, and history in the dedicated investment report.)

Latest Illumina (ILMN) Stock News and Developments

References:

^{1. Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project. (2025, September 15). Scientists are closing in on Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 16, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250915085344.htm}