MoU signed to establish internationally accredited laboratory in Sri Lanka

Colombo, July 15 (Daily Mirror) – A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed this morning (15) at the Presidential Secretariat between U.S.-based STEMedical and the Sri Lanka Institute of Biotechnology (SLIBTEC) to establish a laboratory with internationally recognised accreditation.

The $15 million investment project is being carried out under the guidance of the National Initiative for Research and Development Commercialisation (NIRDC). The MoU was signed by Professor Hans Keirstead, founder of STEMedical, and on behalf of SLIBTEC, by Chairman Professor Samitha Hettige and Chief Operating Officer Amali Ranasinghe.

The initiative aims to address a long-standing national need to enhance laboratory capacity across multiple sectors—including healthcare, agriculture, cosmetics, Ayurveda, and imports/exports—through internationally accredited testing facilities.

Speaking at the signing, Professor Gomika Udugamasooriya, Senior Presidential Advisor on Science and Technology, described the occasion as a milestone for Sri Lanka. He stressed the importance of accreditation in meeting the government’s goal of doubling export revenue by 2030 and underscored the project’s role in ensuring the quality and competitiveness of Sri Lankan goods and services.

The new laboratory will serve as a central hub, collaborating with existing labs islandwide to elevate testing standards and support various industries.

Professor Hans Keirstead praised the Sri Lankan leadership’s forward-looking approach to scientific development. He noted that the lab would offer both clinical and economic advantages, including revenue generation by offering accreditation services to foreign products such as pharmaceuticals.

Professor Keirstead, an internationally acclaimed stem cell researcher and CEO of the Human Immunome Project, is ranked among the world’s top 100 scientists by Discover magazine. He is also a leading entrepreneur in regenerative medicine in the U.S.

Other notable attendees included President’s Senior Additional Secretary Russel Aponsu; NIRDC Director-General Dr. Muditha Senarath Yapa; and STEMedical CEO Dr. Nistor Gabriel Loan.