兰开夏大学研究团队对1978年采集的都灵裹尸布官方样本进行了DNA分析，发现布料表面保存了复杂的生物记录[1]。这项研究首次采用PCR-free下一代测序方法对该样本进行检测[1]，成果已发表在《Scientific Reports》杂志上。
研究检测到多条人类线粒体DNA、细菌、真菌和嗜盐微生物[1]。此外，布料上还发现了多种植物DNA，包括小麦、胡萝卜、玉米、香蕉和花生[1]，以及来自牛、猪、鸡、狗和猫的动物DNA[1]。这些生物学证据反映了裹尸布几个世纪以来在处理、运输和环境暴露过程中积累的历史[1]。
兰开夏大学法医科学教授Noemi Procopio指出[1]："DNA证据无法回答布料年代或真伪的所有问题，但它提供了关于其生物历史的新见解"[1]。虽然此次分析揭示了布料表面丰富的微生物和生物成分，但并未对其年代或真伪做出定论[1]。
Researchers at the University of Lancashire have conducted a comprehensive DNA analysis of an official sample of the Shroud of Turin collected in 1978, uncovering a complex biological record preserved within the fabric [1]. Using a PCR-free next-generation sequencing method for the first time on this sample, the team identified multiple strands of human mitochondrial DNA alongside diverse microbial, plant, and animal genetic material, as well as traces of coral [1]. The findings represent the first such genomic analysis of the 1978 official sample and have been published in Scientific Reports [1].
The biological signatures detected on the cloth reflect the accumulated history of handling, transportation, and environmental exposure the shroud has experienced over centuries [1]. The analysis revealed bacterial, fungal, and halophilic microorganisms, while plant DNA included wheat, carrots, corn, bananas, and peanuts [1]. Animal DNA came from cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs, and cats [1]. According to Noemi Procopio, a forensic science professor at the University of Lancashire, "DNA evidence cannot answer all questions about the cloth's age or authenticity, but it provides new insights into its biological history" [1]. However, the research has not determined the shroud's age or authenticity, offering instead a detailed window into the complex biological history accumulated over the centuries of the shroud's preservation and handling [1].