Sorenson Forensics Wins Contract To Provide Validation Services For Western Africa's First Forensic DNA Lab

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sorenson Forensics today announced it has been awarded a contract by the Center for Diagnostics and Research in Molecular Medicine, a private clinical laboratory in Dakar, Republic of Senegal, which has the exclusive contract to provide forensic DNA testing and analysis for the Senegal government. Under the contract, Sorenson Forensics will assist the center in establishing what will be the first forensic DNA lab in western Africa and will provide ongoing support and laboratory validation.

In business for two years, Sorenson Forensics has already successfully performed a series of important DNA-analysis projects for law enforcement agencies across the country, and last year became the first private DNA forensics laboratory to offer validation services to public crime laboratories. Laboratory validation is a specialized set of procedures performed at regular intervals in all biological laboratories to ensure equipment and protocols meet the latest industry standards.

"We are very happy to be working with one of America's leading forensic DNA companies," said Dr. Cheikh Sy, director of the Center for Diagnostics and Research in Molecular Medicine. "Our forensic DNA project in Dakar is emblematic of the great progress Senegal is making economically and scientifically."

Sorenson Forensics is currently training two groups of laboratory scientists from Senegal and technicians at its newly expanded Sorenson Forensics labs in Salt Lake City. Sorenson Forensics team members will spend a total of five months in Dakar to assist in establishing laboratory processes and procedures and then will provide support for the following year.

"We are extremely excited to help bring state-of-the-art forensics capabilities to a part of the world that has not yet benefited from this advanced technology," said Tim Kupferschmid, Sorenson Forensics' laboratory director. "It is critical that these dedicated Senegalese scientists have the tools and processes they need to effectively assist law enforcement and government officials because there is a face and a name behind every forensics case authorities are called to investigate, and a family waiting to hear their results."

About Sorenson Forensics
Sorenson Forensics (www.sorensonforensics.com) is a leading provider of advanced forensic DNA services and offers industry-best casework assistance to federal, state and local crime laboratories, assists officers of the court in individual criminal cases, and offers comprehensive forensic DNA services to private industry clients. Sorenson Forensics' provides such services as STR and Y-STR analysis; mitochondrial DNA sequencing; comprehensive biology screening; full serology testing, including blood, semen and saliva identification; DNA case consultation; expert testimony, and validation services. The Sorenson Forensics team consists of individuals internationally recognized for their extensive public and private crime lab experience and for their rigor in the exacting requirements of forensics casework. Founded in 2006, Sorenson Forensics has already established an extraordinary record for helping to crack difficult-to-resolve cases, including previously unsolved "cold cases."

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