Bode Technology is betting on Fairfax County — its home of nearly three decades — with a $2 million investment to beef up its bandwidth.
The forensic DNA testing company has committed the capital to expand its lab and team in Lorton as customer demand for its services climbs, according to Fairfax County.
With the investment, Bode plans to add more than 70 new jobs — for lab technician, information technology, engineering and other business support positions, according to an April 11 announcement.
The expansion stems from the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority’s work with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, which is supporting Bode’s job creation work through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.
The company also intends to invest in its Lorton facility and increase capacity. That work involves adding more than 70 new lab benches and renovating the space, according to the announcement.
Bode has not responded to additional questions about the expansion. We will update this story as we hear back.
Bode provides forensic DNA collection products, genetic analysis and research to crime labs, law enforcement, government agencies and others. And since its 1995 founding, Bode has benefitted from the area’s rich talent pool, including from the region’s universities, CEO Mike Cariola said in a statement.
“Demand for our services has increased and today we are recruiting talented scientists from across the country to join us here in Fairfax County so that we can continue our mission,” he said.
Bode’s work involves revisiting cold cases — including combing through a backlog of Virginia’s 2,665 untested sexual assault kits to provide leads to law enforcement. The company also helps to identify criminals and victims in active cases, such as recently assisting the Fairfax County Police Department in the “shopping cart killer” case.
Bode has been in the space for four more years than nearby competitor Parabon NanoLabs Inc. of Reston. Both occupy a rapidly growing industry, and the two have also worked together: Before launching its own forensic genealogy service in 2019, Bode provided some initial DNA sample extractions for Parabon’s cases. The two have also collaborated on research, funded by the National Institute of Justice, on how to best use the technology for unowned DNA samples.
Parabon, which uses DNA analysis to generate leads for police investigations, is meanwhile pushing into therapeutics to make “smart drugs,” tiny structures known as nanosensors that can detect specific molecules in diseases such as cancer.
