UCD spin-out company Equinome has announced plans to open an office in the US with the creation of 10 new jobs.

The company, which specialises in equine genomics, says it is planning to double its workforce to twenty in the next twelve months in response to the strong take-up in its genetic tests by racehorse owners and breeders.

Founded by Dr Emmeline Hill in partnership with Irish trainer and breeder Jim Bolger in 2009, Equinome is headquartered at NovaUCD, the centre for new ventures and entrepreneurs, with a sales office in Australia

It has 6 new DNA-related tests in development which it intends to launch over the coming 24 months.

Research, funded by Science Foundation Ireland, and led by Dr Hill, which resulted in the identification of what is now referred to as the "speed gene", has fundamentally changed this approach for the global industry.

The company made the announcement at an event held at University College Dublin, during which Dr Hill was presented with the 2014 NovaUCD innovation award.

“To date thousands of samples from past and future Champions have passed through Equinome’s laboratories at UCD on their way to the winning post and I look forward to expanding the use of genetic testing in the global Thoroughbred industry in the years ahead,” she said.