IdentiGEN to expand Dublin Laboratory and HQ

 20 high quality new jobs have today been announced at Dublin based genetics company IdentiGEN by the Minister for Jobs.

The jobs are graduate and postgraduate posts for data scientists and biotechnologists to work on DNA testing of meat and seafood products at the company’s headquarters in Dublin.

The project is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland.

IdentiGEN provides traceability of meat and seafood products to the agri-food industry through DNA identification technologies. The service provides food retailers, processors and producers with the capability to identify and trace the source of animal protein through the entire supply chain.

The new jobs will all be based in Ireland and expand the HQ for its network of offices and laboratories in seven countries across Europe and North America.

Speaking at the launch event Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor said: “IdentiGEN is a great story whereby cutting edge Irish scientific research has been successfully commercialised across the world. IdentiGEN is now a leading provider of DNA traceability in the global food industry where its services help to protect brands and build trust.

“The government with Enterprise Ireland will continue to support IdentiGEN as it expands globally, cementing its position as leading the way in the area of traceability. I wish Ciarán, Ronan and their team every success for the future.”

IdentiGEN Co-founder and Managing Director Ciarán Meghen thanked the Minister for her support and also Enterprise Ireland for backing IdentiGEN into the future.

“From business start-up in Trinity College in 1996 to micro-multinational in 2016, it’s been an amazing journey. We see a future in which DNA, genetic, or genomic analysis becomes increasingly pervasive and democratised. As new technologies now offer the prospect of near instantaneous analysis, applications in pathogen detection and antibiotic resistance may become highly relevant to animal agriculture.”

Enterprise Ireland Head of Division, Industrial, Lifesciences and Consumer Dr. Tom Kelly said: “We are delighted to support IdentiGEN, a company with global ambition as the first to introduce industrialised DNA profiling to the North American beef industry where it continues to expand internationally.

“Enterprise Ireland’s support will enable IdentiGEN to expand its laboratory capacity in Ireland and continue to evolve cutting edge technologies to anticipate and meet the future needs of the industry.”

IdentiGEN has recently expanded into new laboratory facilities in Blackrock, Co. Dublin. It has operations in the US, Canada, UK, Germany and the Czech Republic.