Agilent and University of Melbourne Launch Innovation Hub for Environmental Research
Agilent Technologies and the University of Melbourne have opened a new innovation hub. The center combines Agilent's technology with the university's expertise in environmental health and safety research.
MELBOURNE, Australia – November 12, 2025 – Agilent Technologies has announced the launch of its new Agilent Innovation Hub in partnership with the University of Melbourne. The hub aims to advance environmental research and population health by integrating Agilent’s advanced laboratory technologies.
The innovation center combines Agilent’s latest technologies, including liquid chromatography systems, with the research expertise of the Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants (ALEC). The collaboration focuses on identifying and analyzing emerging environmental pollutants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), microplastics, and flame retardants.
Associated Professor Brad Clarke at the University of Melbourne’s ALEC highlighted the importance of the collaboration. "This collaboration with Agilent shows what's possible when academia and industry work hand in hand. It allows us to move beyond measuring known contaminants toward discovering the thousands of unregulated chemicals that may be circulating in our environment and bodies," Clarke stated.
The partnership has already yielded breakthroughs in ultra-trace detection of PFAS and microplastics in drinking water. Agilent views this initiative as part of its strategic expansion across Asia and the Pacific, following the establishment of Centers of Excellence at leading universities in South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia.