Agilent and Nanyang Technological University's NEWRI Sign Agreement to Enhance Water Contaminant Research in Singapore

Original from: PR Newswire

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) announced the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI), outlining their collaboration in advancing environmental and water research over the next three years.

NEWRI is a leading research institute at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), ranked 13th globally for Environmental Sciences by QS World University Ranking in 2025¹. The collaboration aims to further strengthen Singapore's capabilities in detecting emerging contaminants, such as microplastics, in the face of growing concerns.

This marks the third partnership between Agilent and NEWRI in the context of environmental contaminant research addressing Singapore's national priorities in water needs and wastewater treatment.

The strategic collaboration leverages Agilent's next-generation technologies, including an extensive portfolio of LC/MS systems, ICP-MS series, Seahorse XF technology, xCELLigence real-time cell analyzer, and LDIR chemical imaging spectroscopy. Through the development of advanced analytical and bioanalytical methods and building relevant databases, this partnership enables new chemical and bioassay screenings and applications, supporting continuous efforts in environmental sustainability.

Professor Wang Rong, Executive Director of NEWRI, highlighted, "We are really excited to take our partnership with Agilent to the next level. Over the past 12 years, NEWRI has made significant contributions in the detection of emerging contaminants, developing robust methods to identify these challenging compounds. This collaboration will pool our strengths and deliver more impactful outcomes in advancing environmental monitoring and protection."

Bharat Bhardwaj, Vice President of Sales for Asia Pacific, said, "This enduring partnership exemplifies the trust that NEWRI places in our groundbreaking innovations, which bring transformative science to reality. With a robust presence spanning over 25 years and a dedicated team of 600 local experts in Singapore, we take immense pride in advancing targeted projects alongside our collaboration partner. Together, we are pioneering new pathways in safe water testing, addressing the challenges posed by emerging contaminants."

Over the past decade, NEWRI has advanced new solutions in low energy desalination, cutting-edge solid-waste solutions, autonomous water treatment systems, and resource recovery. The R&D work is supported in part by a remarkable array of Agilent's state-of-the-art analytical instruments, deployed across multiple projects nationwide. 

As a well-established local supplier in Singapore, Agilent has grown its presence since 1999. In 2022, the company was recognized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as a global leader in Factory Lighthouse for responsible scaling through smart manufacturing that prioritizes the environment and people. Agilent remains the sole analytical and clinical laboratory technology company worldwide to be recognized by WEF.

Source: Agilent and Nanyang Technological University's NEWRI Sign Agreement to Enhance Water Contaminant Research in Singapore