What's New at Therion International?

Media coverage of Fish Substitution cases

Therion International’s DNA testing services and expert opinion have been featured in several investigative stories regarding the increased use of species substitution in several businesses. Therion’s DNA testing services have been utilized to differentiate among a variety of species of fish purchased in local dining establishments and seafood markets throughout the US. Below are some of the stories that have featured Therion’s services and consumer response to the species substitution. Please find the featured article and/or video at the links below.

• "Are You Getting The Sushi You Ordered?" on KCRA 3 - Sacramento, CA. (February 6, 2008).
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• "Lab says species ID method ‘tried and true'" by Dan Stockman, The Journal Gazette - Fort Wayne, IN. (November 22, 2007).
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• "A fish story on turkey day" by Dan Stockman, The Journal Gazette - Fort Wayne, IN. (November 22, 2007).
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• "WCall 3 Consumer Investigation Looks At Fish Substitution" on KCRA 3 - Sacramento, CA. (November 13, 2007).
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• "Sushi Investigation" on Inside Edition (November 12, 2007).
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• "What's on your plate?" by Tuquyen Mach, WMBB ABC 13 - Panama City, FL. (July 16, 2007).
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• "Every day is like CSI: Seafood files" by Stephen Nohlgren, St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg, FL. (May 22, 2007).
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• "Sushi Scandal?", ABCNEWS.com. (May 14, 2007).
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• "Fish fraud: The menus said snapper, but it wasn't!" by Janet Rausa Fuller, Staff Reporter, Chicago Sun Times - Chicago, IL. (May 10, 2007).
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• "Whistleblower: Are restaurants still serving fake grouper?" by Katie LaGrone, ABC 7 Gulfshore News - Fort Myers, FL. (February 23, 2007).
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• "5i Continues Its Investigation Of False Fish Sales", WKPHO CBS 5 - Pheonix, AZ. (2006).
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• "5i Catches Restaurants Selling False Fish", WKPHO CBS 5 - Pheonix, AZ. (2006).
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• "WhistleBlower: Grouper investigation gets results" by Katie LaGrone, ABC 7 Gulfshore News - Fort Myers, FL. (December 12, 2006).
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• "'Grouper' is on everyone's lips" by Stephen Nohlgren, St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg, FL. (December 8, 2006).
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• "How to prove it's grouper?" by Stephen Nohlgren, St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg, FL. (December 6, 2006).
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• "Whistleblower: Is that grouper on your plate?" by Katie LaGrone, ABC 7 Gulfshore News - Fort Myers, FL. (November 28, 2006).
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• "State hunts bogus grouper" by Terry Tomalin, St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg, FL. (November 22, 2006).
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• “THE GROUPER CATCH // You order grouper. What do you get?” by Stephen Nohlgren and Terry Tomalin, St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg, FL. (August 6, 2006).
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• “Swindling on the Rise” by Steven Hedlund for SeaFood Business, June, 2005 issue, Cover Story, continued on page 26, 28.
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• “Cheaper Fish Sold as Expensive Red Snapper” on WSPA-TV of Spartanburg, SC (May 25, 2005).
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• “Red Snapper Turned out to be ‘Not on the Menu’. More than three out of four times, that meal of Red Snapper isn't Red Snapper!” on WNCT-TV of Greenville, NC (May 24, 2005).
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• “What’s on Your Plate?” on WKRG-TV of Mobile, AL (May, 23, 2005) questioned if you are really getting Red Snapper.
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• “Something Fishy!” on KSDK-TV of St. Louis, MO (Mar 1, 2005) questioned if the Red Snapper is really Red Snapper.
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• “Target 3 uncovers suspected bait and switch tactics at major local food supplier” on WKYC-TV of Cleveland, OH (Feb 14, 2005).
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• “Walleye of Zander? What are you really eating?” on KARE 11 TV (December 7, 2004) of Minneapolis, MN.
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NEW SERVICES

THERION IS AGAIN PROVIDING DNA TESTING FOR LABORATORY ANIMALS!

Therion International is proud to once again offer reliable and accurate DNA testing services for the genetic monitoring of transgenic, inbred, and outbred strains of any species of laboratory animals. Check us out! Click here for the Laboratory Animal Fact Sheet

NEW - Estimation of Transgene Copy Number – Predicting Expression Level

This pioneering technology allows investigators to predict expression levels of transgenes in young founder animals and prior to actual expression and/or phenotyping. Projected non-expressing founders can then be culled prior to breeding, substantially reducing breeding costs and work load.

Investor Relations

Therion International is presently seeking equity investments from qualified investors and funding partners for targeted strategic initiatives. Please contact us for more information.

Additional Media Coverage

• "Animals tell all at DNA lab; Therion International is drawing contracts to test for specific genetic traits for drug research" by Kevin Harlin, Times Union, Albany, NY (August 31, 2006).
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• Therion was interviewed by The Post-Star on December 17, 2005. The article discussed Therion's involvement in a Pennsylvania murder investigation that resulted in a December 9, 2005 conviction on a charge of first-degree murder (see "Wildlife Forensics" below).
• Therion International was featured by NBC's Albany, NY affiliate WNYT-13 on December 16, 2005. The segment focused on the use of Therion’s services to convict a murderer in a Pennsylvania case (see "Wildlife Forensics" below).
• Therion International was profiled by local CBS affiliate WRGB-6 out of Albany, NY. The segment focused on Therion’s involvement in a Pennsylvania murder investigation (see "Wildlife Forensics" below).
• Therion was profiled in The Capital District Business Review on December 10, 2004. The article entitled “Therion enters emerging animal forensics market” focuses on Therion’s ability and expertise in the DNA testing arena – be it for animal forensics, shrimp genetics, or thoroughbred and dog registries.
• On 16 November 2004 Therion was featured in the “Business Q and A” weekly feature section of the Saratogian. Full article is available here.

Can You Believe? Even Ripley’s Believe It or Not®!?

Therion was contacted by Ripley’s Believe It or Not® to conduct DNA testing on a two-trunked elephant that was discovered. Through Therion’s DNA analysis it was determined that the two trunks contained identical DNA patterns and that the trunks were indeed from the same animal and had not been grafted on. You can read more about Ripley's exhibits, including the two-trunk elephant, at these links:

BELIEVE IT OR NOT: Ripley's expanding empire of the bizarre
The first thing you'll probably notice is the shark. At 17 feet long, it's the biggest ever caught on rod and reel. What's left of its two terrifying tons now hangs preserved above a dull warehouse floor.
December 4, 2005 · Travis Reed · Associated Press

Inside the Ripley's Warehouse of Oddities
For most people, Ripley is just another synonym for strange. Since Robert Ripley published his first Ripley's Believe It or Not cartoon nearly a century ago, the company that bears his name has expanded into a major franchise.
November 5, 2005 · Christopher Elliott · NPR

Wildlife Forensics

Therion International recently worked with the Pennsylvania State Police in a murder investigation. In 1999, at the request of the Pennsylvania State Police, Therion conducted DNA testing to identify numerous deer tissues, bloodstains and meat samples found around the crime scene and in the suspects home. Entrails from the field and crime scene area, as well as blood samples on the victim were positively matched with those samples found at the suspect’s home. These DNA results and other evidence led to the murder conviction of the suspect on December 9, 2005. Articles are linked below:

Hunter guilty of first-degree murder
One week before the eighth anniversary of Paul J. Horvat Jr.'s murder, his mother, Catherine, said Friday that justice finally had come for her family. After almost eight hours of deliberations, a Fayette County jury found Lawrence J. Cseripko guilty of the first-degree murder of Horvat on a Menallen Township farm off Baer Road in December 1997.
December 10, 2005 · Chris Foreman · Tribune-Review

Experts say deer DNA matches
An animal DNA expert and a statistician testified Wednesday of a high probability that the deer entrails found near a Fayette County hunter's dead body in December 1997 are a genetic match to the meat seized from a reputed rival's freezer four months later.
December 8, 2005 · Chris Foreman · Tribune-Review

Deer DNA link to slaying upheld
A Uniontown man linked to a hunter's 1997 killing through genetic testing on deer remains was ordered held for trial despite his lawyer's argument that the test results were inadmissible.
November 18, 2004 · David Hunt · Tribune Review

Suspect arrested in death of hunter
In 1997, state troopers investigating the shooting death of a hunter in the woods of Fayette County seized animal blood, meat, tissue and "gut piles" at the scene as evidence. Four months later, search warrant in hand, they went to the Uniontown home of a suspect and confiscated deer steak and chops from his freezer. Recently, a DNA analysis confirmed a match between the deer meat at the scene and in Lawrence Cseripko's freezer.
October 30, 2004 · Jonathan D. Silver · Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Deer DNA linked suspect to murder charges
Almost a year before Paul Horvat Jr. was found shot to death in the woods outside of Uniontown, a hunter named Lawrence Cseripko began plotting to pull the trigger after the two had fought over deer, police said.
October 29, 2004 · David Hunt · Tribune-Review

Peculiar Postings

Therion International tested Greenwing Macaw samples to determine parentage for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The DNA evidence led to an arrest in a very peculiar case of exotic bird theft.

Pilfered parrot used to stuff bra, cops say
Woman busted while trying to exchange rare Greenwing for vintage car.
November 8, 2005 · Associated Press

DNA Registry

Therion has been awarded the contract for the DNA registry for Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA). DNA samples are used confirm parentage and genotype, and stored for future reference. All dogs to be registered must be enrolled in ASCA’s DNA-VP (Verified Parentage) program. Blood samples and cheek swabs are taken and submitted to Therion for analysis.