AttoDiagnostics’ Journey into Pharmacogenomics

Building a Network of Laboratories in Norfolk, UK

AttoDiagnostics’ story began with Dr. Thomas Haizel, the visionary founder of the AttoGroup. Back in 1996, Dr. Haizel completed his PhD at the Friedrich Miescher Institute, University of Basel, Switzerland. This kickstarted his career, leading to postdoctoral positions at the University of Fribourg and later at The Sainsbury Laboratory in the UK’s Norwich Research Park, where he built expertise in molecular genetics and plant science. By 2000, he was working as a molecular geneticist at the John Innes Centre, experience that would go on to shape the scientific foundation of AttoDiagnostics.

Laying the Groundwork: Anglia DNA Services

In 2004, Dr. Haizel earned his MBA from Henley Management College in England and soon after founded Anglia DNA Services Limited, based in Norwich Research Park’s Genome building. The company specialised in DNA relationship testing and, just a year later in 2005, secured UKAS accreditation and Ministry of Justice approval for legally recognised DNA relationship tests. Today, Anglia DNA is known as AttoLife.

Bringing DNA Testing to the Public

In 2011, Dr. Haizel launched AssureDNA, a first-of-its-kind brand that introduced paternity and maternity tests to the high street through Boots, making DNA testing widely accessible in the UK.

Expanding into Genetic Services

Dr. Haizel’s vision expanded in 2012 when he acquired IDna Genetics Ltd., a company focusing on gene copy number analysis, food identity verification, and GMO detection. This allowed the company to broaden its services beyond DNA relationship testing. Today, IDna Genetics is known as AttoDNA.

In 2016, Anglia DNA relocated to Scottow Enterprise Park, settling into a former RAF medical center at Coltishall. That same year, Dr. Haizel established Nkaarco Diagnostics to focus on lifestyle DNA and pharmacogenetic testing, positioning the company as a future leader in health and lifestyle genetics. Nkaarco Diagnostics is now known as AttoDiagnostics.

Stepping Up During a Global Crisis

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and Anglia DNA stepped up, quickly adapting to offer COVID-19 testing. What started as testing support for local care homes and GP surgeries scaled rapidly, with the team eventually carrying out over a million COVID-19 tests, showcasing their agility and commitment to public health.

A New Chapter: Rebranding and Beyond

In 2024, The AttoGroup was formed, bringing together Anglia DNA, Nkaarco Diagnostics, IDna Genetics, and Claritest under one mission: making scientific advancements accessible.

AttoDiagnostics is now at the forefront of this change, offering lab services that empower brands to bring personalised health and wellbeing solutions to life. Our partners include oral microbiome company Floe and personalised nutrition company, Nutri-Genetix.

While we proudly support these brands, our pharmacogenetic (PGx) offering is uniquely ours. Explore our PGx products for mental health and ADHD, cardiology, and fertility, or ask about our broader services in genotyping, microbiome analysis, bloodborne virus screening, and research projects.

Explore Pharmacogenomic Testing