An international team of scientists from Canada, USA, France, Spain and Italy announced today the start of the Leonardo project for sequencing the DNA of the great Renaissance artist and rebuild their physical characteristics, such as your face, and even their ability visual.
In the project Craig Venter Institute in California, which was the first to sequence the human genome as well as the Laboratory of Genetic Identification of the University of Granada, and the Institute of Human Paleontology in Paris participates, among other institutions.
Jesse Ausubel, Vice President Richard Lounsbery Foundation, which is funding the project, said today during a conference call that all members of this network believe that the study of DNA Leonardo Da Vinci "has great potential".
The project wants to get samples from the remains of Da Vinci, buried in the French town of Amboise, southwest of Paris, as well as modern descendants of the artist, to sequence DNA.
Once the DNA is sequenced artist, researchers try to obtain "biological materials that may have been in paintings or the pages of Leonardo's notebooks."
"Over the next three years we will use new techniques in molecular biology and genetics, will combine with the knowledge of anthropology and history to make new discoveries about Leonardo Da Vinci" said Ausubel.
"If we get enough DNA, we could even learn the source of his incredible visual acuity," he added the American scientist.
Professor Rhonda Roby, the Craig Venter Institute, explained that the DNA of Leonardo Da Vinci and the team's research could also allow the reconstruction of the face of the artist, born in 1452 and died on May 2, 1519 at age 67 , the origin of his mother or his diet, health and personal habits.
Ausubel acknowledged that moment, the French authorities have refused to allow scientists access to the remains of Leonardo Da Vinci to obtain samples and try to extract DNA.
But the scientist added that now that the project is public and given the caliber of the institutions and individuals involved, provides that Paris will change its initial refusal.