LGC has signed a further measurement research and reference material collaboration agreement with NIM, China’s National Institute of Metrology and technical centre for legal metrology. This agreement, following on from the successful first collaboration signed in 2011, marks the next steps in the ongoing collaborative programme to develop new measurement capabilities in life science applications and reference material distribution. The collaboration brings together specialist skills and knowledge through staff exchanges to deliver a work programme in technically challenging areas including inorganic calibrant purity determination and stable isotope ratio measurements for life science applications, direct method organic calibrant purity determination and complex bio-organic solution and mixture analysis, and biomarker clinical reference method and material development for precision medicine. The agreement also establishes the basis for reference material distribution of selected NIM materials in Europe through LGC Standards and LGC Standards materials, mainly for the food and environmental sectors, through NIM in P.R. China and Hong Kong SAR. It also sets out collaboration in provision of proficiency testing (PT) schemes. The agreement between LGC and NIM was signed at LGC’s headquarters in Teddington, UK, on 13 December by Tim Robinson, Chief Executive of LGC, and Xiang Fang, Director of NIM. Commenting on the announcement, Tim Robinson said, “It is a great pleasure to continue this collaboration with such a leading National Measurement Institute. We look forward to the enhanced measurement capabilities and wider commercial opportunities this new agreement will bring for both parties. LGC is working with NMIs globally to improve the international comparability of chemical and biological measurement for the benefit of free trade, underpinning of regulation and support for innovation.”