Agilent and Nanyang Technological University's NEWRI Sign Agreement to Enhance Water Contaminant Research in Singapore
SINGAPORE, July 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.
(from left) Padraig McDonnell, Agilent CEO, Bharat Bhardwaj, Agilent Vice President of Sales for Asia Pacific, Prof Wang Rong, Executive Director of NEWRI, and Prof Lam Kwok Yan, Associate Vice President for Strategy and Partners at NTU, during the MOU ceremony signing at Singapore’s NEWRI on July 28, 2025.
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.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global leader in analytical and clinical laboratory technologies, delivering insights and innovation that help our customers bring great science to life. Agilent's full range of solutions includes instruments, software, services, and expertise that provide trusted answers to our customers' most challenging questions. The company generated revenue of $6.51 billion in fiscal year 2024 and employs approximately 18,000 people worldwide. Information about Agilent is available at . To receive the latest Agilent news, subscribe to the Agilent Newsroom. Follow Agilent on LinkedIn and Facebook.
About Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has 35,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the Business, Computing & Data Science, Engineering, Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, Medicine, Science, and Graduate colleges.
NTU is also home to world-renowned autonomous institutes – the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering – and various leading research centres such as the Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute and Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N).
Under the NTU Smart Campus vision, the University harnesses the power of digital technology and tech-enabled solutions to support better learning and living experiences, the discovery of new knowledge, and the sustainability of resources.
Ranked amongst the world's top universities, the University's main campus is also frequently listed among the world's most beautiful. Known for its sustainability, NTU has achieved 100% Green Mark Platinum certification for all its eligible building projects. Apart from its main campus, NTU also has a medical campus in Novena, Singapore's healthcare district.
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Media Contacts
Grace Thong
Agilent Technologies
+65 9688 2152
Lester Kok Wei Ming
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
+65 97415593
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