Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Tuesday announced that Bode Technology, a Fairfax-based provider of forensic services, will invest $2 million to expand its DNA testing services lab in Fairfax County.

In response to customer demand, the company will hire additional senior and entry-level laboratory technicians, forensic science professionals, and other business support roles, creating more than 70 new jobs.

“We are proud to have this innovative, Virginia-founded business and congratulate Bode Technology on its continued growth in Fairfax County,” said Youngkin said in a news release. “Biotechnology is evolving rapidly in the 21st century and leading firms like Bode help drive the Commonwealth’s position as a leader in this vital sector. We look forward to continuing to see the company’s impact and thank Bode Technology for its confidence in Virginia.”

Based in Lorton, Bode Technology operates private forensic DNA laboratories and provides state-of-the-art forensic DNA collection products, DNA analysis services, and research services to law enforcement, the justice system, and other government agencies around the world.

Bode Technology’s forensic DNA experts have assisted in identifying criminals in every state in the U.S., as well as victims of war, terrorism, crime, and natural disasters, including the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, the conflicts in Cyprus, and the remains of U.S. soldiers dating back to World War II.

To fulfill its mission to create a safer society through the use of forensic science, the company helped to eliminate Virginia’s statewide backlog of 2,665 untested sexual assault kits, providing closure to countless victims of sexual assault and providing investigative leads to law enforcement in hundreds of cases.

Earlier this year, Bode Technology assisted the Fairfax County Police Department in the identification of two victims of a suspected serial killer dubbed the ‘Shopping Cart Killer.’

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority to secure the project for Virginia and will support Bode’s job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP), which provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs in order to support employee recruitment and training activities.

As a business incentive supporting economic development, VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies. VJIP is state-funded, demonstrating Virginia’s commitment to enhancing job opportunities for citizens.