DNA Diagnostics – The First Choice for DNA Testing
Our staff include some of the nation’s most reputable and experienced DNA scientists. We are proud to employ a team of DNA experts and customer service professionals who understand the impact of our services and go the extra mile to ensure the best interests of our clients. Our clients include a range of Civil Courts, Law Firms, Councils and Members of the Public throughout the UK and Europe.
Our DNA laboratory provides an unrivalled service with our standard DNA paternity test, delivering the results by close of business the next working day. No other laboratory offers this service.
DNA Testing
Our expert team has over 30 years of combined experience in DNA testing, making us one of Europe’s most skilful and knowledgeable laboratories. We have a track record of having analysed over 50,000 DNA samples. That’s why you can have absolute trust in our DNA testing laboratory.
Our paternity testing services starts at just £99 for a Peace of Mind test. We can also test for maternity, grandparents, siblings, twins, aunts, uncles and Y chromosomes.
Next Day Results
At DNA Diagnostics, we understand the importance your DNA test. This is not a result that you want to be delayed; therefore we supply all results the very next working day.
Unlike other DNA laboratories on the internet, we do all of our DNA testing in-house. This means we are currently the only laboratory in the world to offer next day paternity results as standard. For an additional fee we can also provide same-day DNA testing
Drug Testing
We offer a comprehensive drug testing service that is trusted by employers, councils & legal professionals throughout the country. Our fully-accredited laboratory can provide results in just 3 working days.
Make use of our nationwide sample collection service or use one of our convenient walk-in centres. We can test for a wide array of substances (including non-standard ones) using a sample of urine, blood, hair or oral fluid. Contact us to get a quote in minutes.
Find a drug testing centre in your area
Alcohol Testing
Our team of scientists can establish a history of chronic or excessive alcohol consumption using a donor’s hair, breath, blood or nail sample. We offer free sample collection from any one of our nationwide walk-in centres with results in just 3 days. Continuous alcohol monitoring is also available.
Our legal alcohol testing is trusted by solicitors throughout the UK. Contact us to find out about our Price-Match Promise.
Find an alcohol testing centre in your area
About Us
Established in August 2004, DNA Diagnostics is an accredited DNA paternity, drug and alcohol testing laboratory. We provide testing to the legal profession, corporations and members of the public. Our company values are fundamental to our work:
- We provide excellent value DNA and drug testing
- We invest in innovation and strive to maintain our position as being one of Europe’s leading laboratories
- We always maintain complete confidentiality to ensure trust and integrity with our clients information
- We instil pride in our team which reflects in the outstanding work that we deliver
Utilising the latest technology in our accredited laboratory, we ensure accuracy, reliability and integrity for each and every case, supported by our confidential customer services department and overseen by our highly trained technical staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
DNA Testing FAQs
If you need the results of the test for court or for other legal purposes, such as changing a birth certificate, then you will require our Legal Test Service. Contact one of our friendly Customer Service advisors or visit our website for details.
The extracted DNA is destroyed by incineration three months after the report has been sent out.
This ratio indicates how many times more likely it is that the results of the DNA analysis would have been obtained given that the tested man (alleged father) is the true biological father of the child submitted rather than an unrelated man picked at random from the same ethnic population. The CPI is based solely on genetic evidence and is determined by multiplying the individual PIs for each marker tested.
The paternity index compares the likelihood that an allele was passed on by the alleged father to the child, to the probability that a randomly selected unrelated man of similar ethnic background has passed that same allele on to the child.
The test compares fragments of highly variable DNA, called Short Tandem Repeats (STR). Through a series of chemical reactions, DNA from each individual is extracted.
Using a technique called PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), 24 STR markers from the different chromosomes of the individuals tested are copied. The products of the PCR are separated and measured to obtain a DNA profile. One-half of each person’s DNA information comes from their mother and the other half from their biological father.
By comparing the DNA profiles of the child with the mother, it is possible to establish the shared STR markers between them. The child’s STR markers not found in the mother’s profile must therefore come from the biological father. If the alleged father’s profile shares common STR markers with that of the child, then he is not excluded and may indeed be the true biological father.
A statistical analysis is then carried out to calculate the probability of paternity. An alleged father is excluded as the biological father if STR markers found in his profile are not shared with the child. The Test Results Table lists each STR marker tested with the probability of its occurrence in the general population.
This is the percentage likelihood that a man with the genetic markers (alleles) of the alleged father is the true biological father of the child as compared to an untested and unrelated man of the same ethnic origin.
It means that the tested man (alleged father) does not have the expected profile required to be the biological father. He is therefore highly unlikely to be the true biological father.
It means that the tested man (alleged father) has the DNA profile expected of the biological father. Therefore, the DNA test result confirms that the tested man (alleged father) is the true biological father of the child.
Drug & Alcohol FAQs
Yes, but the time period will be approximate due to the process of dressing or preparing the hair.
Reduce the likelihood by detecting the metabolites, washing the sample prior to analysis and applying cut-off levels.
We are UKAS accredited to ISO17025, and quality controls are run with each batch of samples analysed.
Excessive chemical treatment of the hair may leach out drugs.
Yes, body hair has a different growth cycle, time period more approximate. We do not test body hair for alcohol abuse.
International Society of Hair Testing (SoHT) cut-off values are used to prevent false negative/ positive results.
Hair analysis can distinguish between active use and contamination: hair samples are washed before testing, and can be analysed for parent drugs and metabolites; ‘cut-offs’ are used.
Consecutive hair sections provide a historical picture of any drug use, exposure or abstinence.
There are two different types of hair alcohol testing. These are Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters (FAEE) testing and Ethyl Glucoronide (EtG) testing. FAEE and EtG are metabolites of alcohol that are created in the Liver. Elevated levels of FAEE and EtG in the blood or hair will strongly suggest chronic and excessive alcohol abuse. Combined with elevated CDT levels and a LFT it is possible to determine if alcohol is being abused by the sample donor.
Testing Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) in blood is an effective way to determine if the sample donor is abusing alcohol. When elevated, CDT can be indicative of chronic, excessive consumption of alcohol, defined as at least 60 grams of alcohol per day on a routine basis for a minimum of two or three weeks.
A Liver Function Test (LFT) is a blood based test that will determine how efficient the sample donor’s liver is operating. The results will give a strong indication if the sample donors liver has been damaged. Combined with the results from other tests such as a CDT, EtG or FAEE, it can be determined if it is highly likely for the liver to have been damaged as a result of alcohol abuse.
Yes, each drug has its own unique chemical structure and therefore has a different molecular ‘signature’. Because of this, when various drug molecules travel through the LCMS they behave differently. This difference can then be measured and analysed.
DNA Diagnostics uses the Society of Hair Testing (SoHT) guidelines whose cut-off levels are accepted industry-wide.
Hair from other parts of the body can be tested such as underarm, beard, chest and pubic hair for drugs. However, body hair growth rates are slower than head hair and cannot be used to determine a time frame of drug use. We do not test body hair for alcohol abuse.
Approximately 50 – 60 strands are required for testing which appears to be the width of a thin pencil. If the head hair is collected from the most appropriate place, it should make no cosmetic difference.
Hair can be damaged when chemical treatments such as bleach and hair dye are applied. If used extensively, it may be possible that the amount of drugs present in hair may be reduced. Therefore, sample donors who are occasional users of drugs may potentially test as negative. However, more frequent drug users may still test positive but the levels or detected drugs may be less than that detected in untreated hair.
Hair strand analysis is essential when you need to monitor a person with a suspected drug or alcohol abuse history over an extended period of time. Hair strand analysis can provide a historical record of drug abuse / abstinence for up to 12 months or longer if required. Hair strand analysis is up to 10 times more sensitive than urinalysis.
It takes approximately 5 – 7 days from the time the drug is ingested for the affected hair to grow above the scalp. If you require a test to cover for the first 7 days, we would recommend an observed urine analysis every 3 days.
As an additional safeguard for sample donors, DNA Diagnostics washes all hair samples prior to performing any form of analysis to eliminate any effects that may be created by sample donors spending time with other people who may be smoking or taking illicit drugs. Our LCMS testing will also detect metabolites specific to various types of illicit drugs. These metabolites will only be present if the relevant drug in question had been ingested.
DNA Diagnostics will screen the relevant sample and if drugs of abuse is detected the sample will enter a second stage of testing known as confirmation. For confirmation, we employ the latest legally defensible ‘platinum’ standard techniques known as HPLC/MS/MS (High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry detection). By combining screening with confirmatory testing we will provide the most accurate form of testing available.
Contact Us
Our DNA testing services are provided by AlphaBiolabs – an award-winning, ISO 17025 accredited testing laboratory based in Warrington, UK.
If you have any questions or would like to order a test, you can speak to an adviser on 0333 600 1300.
Alternatively, just fill in the form at the top of this page and an adviser will call you back.
