Set up in 2000, Complement Genomics was the brainchild of Louise and Dr Neil Sullivan and has played a key role in the rapidly developing worlds of healthcare, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and life sciences.

Based at the Business and Innovation Centre in Wearfield the firm helps provide a range of high-tech products, including the Geneblitz DNA analysis and laboratory service and dadcheck paternity testing service for the public and legal profession.

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The firm also helps run Willcheck, a service which allows people to store a sample of their own genetic material, and a company which allows people to use their DNA profile to create jewellery.

Louise, who has an has extensive working knowledge and technical experience of molecular biology, has held the position of chief executive since 2003.

Responsible for the day-to-day running of the company, including its quality management system and laboratories, she has seen it go from strength to strength.

Louise said: "The company is an approved supplier of genotyping services to a number of large contract research organisations.

"As well as supporting other organisations in the research arena, the company is now performing its own in-house research and development.

"It was recently awarded a prestigious grant for research and development from One NorthEast, looking into novel ways of extracting DNA from rare scene of crime samples."

Louise is the latest member of the business community to back the new "if we can you can" challenge, which aims to nurture emerging entrepreneurial talent and recapture a spirit of enterprise in the North East.

Supported by the Sunderland Echo, it aims to find the entrepreneurs of the future who will create the backbone of the North East's economy.
"The challenge is a fantastic project for the North East," says Louise.

"There's a lot of talent up here in the North East and we have a great work ethic too.

"Sometimes people, young and old, nurturing a business idea just need that push to take that final step into realising it.

"This challenge could be just that. Running your own business is a roller coaster ride – but once you get the bug, you won't want to get off."