Iran to Launch 6 National Reference Laboratories

“These laboratories will be launched by the end of this year and will provide their services not only to universities, but also to knowledge-based companies and industries,” Afshin said.

“A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy and the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. The main goal of the MoU is to develop research and technology infrastructure in the country, which will initially lead to the establishment of 6 national reference laboratories in the Iranian universities,” he added.

“These laboratories will be connected to the national network and will provide their services not only to universities, but also to knowledge-based companies and even non-knowledge-based industries,” Afshin said.

An Iranian official had earlier announced plans to establish an integrated national laboratory network in the country.

Yaqoub Fat'hollahi referred to the creation of scattered laboratory networks by the Iranian government, including the Science Ministry and the Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, and underlined the need for the establishment of an integrated national laboratory network.

“Laboratory capacity for scientific research has been created in the country and they work in the form of specialized or national laboratories, and each of these laboratories individually provides services to specialists and researchers,” he said.

Fat'hollahi said that creation of a national laboratory network was proposed to increase laboratory capacities, both in the form of individual laboratories and networks, and integrate the country's laboratories.

“Launching this national network does not mean stopping the activities of other networks, and all laboratory networks should continue to work, and the national network should also be launched with preparations and plans at the national level and with a national and transnational vision to serve all scientists in the Islamic world,” he stressed.

4155/v