The University of Sassari uses forensic techniques to analyse the DNA of Pinna nobilis shells preserved for years in homes and premises on the island

Researchers at the University of Sassari, coordinated by Professor Daria Sanna, lecturer in forensic genetics, are doing valuable work to reconstruct the history of Pinna nobilis over the last few centuries. They have recently launched a genetic investigation into the populations of the species that lived on the coasts of Sardinia in the 20th century. Objective? To extract DNA traces left in old shells jealously preserved in houses and public places on the island, thanks to state-of-the-art forensic genetics techniques.

Credit: Ilaria Deplano/UNISS

Credit: Ilaria Deplano/UNISS

Young volunteers are collecting valuable samples from old shells all over Sardinia using simple cotton swabs. The first results will open new windows into the past of this iconic western Mediterranean species and help researchers better understand how it reacts to environmental stresses and assess its real chances of escaping extinction.

Credit: Ilaria Deplano/UNISS

Credit: Ilaria Deplano/UNISS