Since 1985, the department of Molecular Biology was part of the large regional diagnostic center SSDZ at the Reinier de Graaf (RdGG) hospital in Delft, the Netherlands. Scientists at this department were performing molecular diagnostic assays in collaboration with the departments of Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry and Pathology. Since 1989, there also was an active collaboration with Innogenetics N.V (Ghent, Belgium) in the field of diagnostics for infectious diseases.
In 1994, the common interest of the RdGG hospital and Innogenetics resulted in the founding of DDL as a separate legal entity in the Netherlands. DDL focused on two areas, i.e., application of molecular diagnostics in a routine clinical setting and a research program to develop novel molecular diagnostic tools. This research program comprised studies on various micro-organisms, such as Human Papillomavirus, Hepatitis C virus, and Helicobacter pylori.
ISO certification in 2002 was an important milestone in the history of DDL, and permitted participation in phase II and III clinical trials.
In December 2003, DDL became independent of its original shareholders (RdGG and Innogenetics) by a management buy out. Since then, DDL is a privately owned and independent diagnostic laboratory organisation.
