DNA experts in the North East are set to turn their company into one of the UK’s leading genetic paternity testers, after achieving the highest accreditation available to laboratory-based businesses and becoming one of only seven providers approved by the Ministry of Justice to perform parentage tests.

The dadcheck service offered by Complement Genomics Limited (CGL) based at the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) in Sunderland, conducts tests to prove whether or not there is a genetic relationship between family members, most commonly paternity tests for parent and child.

The 8 year old company has recently been accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, the highest agreed laboratory standard. This has enabled the dadcheck service to gain approval from the Ministry of Justice and helps to assure dadcheck clients of the high quality service they will receive.

Louise Allcroft, Chief Executive of CGL, says: “The process of becoming accredited is both demanding and intensive and has taken more than two years. It is extremely pleasing that the hard work and dedication of the team has paid off and this will allow us to move from strength to strength as we expand our business in the legal sector.

“This is a major opportunity for us to consolidate our position as the leading paternity testing company in the North of England and we will continue to build strong, one-to-one relationships with solicitors, GPs and general public.”

Louise, who has more than 14 years of experience in DNA and human identification testing, has held the position of Chief Executive at Complement Genomics since 2003. The company was one of the first to launch internet based paternity testing, via its dadcheck website, which has since proved to be very popular.

The Sunderland company was also awarded a prestigious grant for research and development from One North East in 2007 for its work in forensic analysis.