MOU and ICGEB Awareness Workshop

20 January 2026 – The National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia (NIBM) and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) formalised their collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Auditorium of the Malaysia Genome and Vaccine Institute (MGVI), NIBM.
The MoU was signed by Professor Datuk Wira Dr. Raha binti Abdul Rahim, FASc., Chief Executive Officer of NIBM, and Dr. Lawrence Banks, Director General of ICGEB. The exchange was witnessed by YBhg. Datuk Seri Hj. Hasnol Zam Zam bin Hj. Ahmad, Secretary General of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), who also officiated the ICGEB Awareness Workshop, reflecting strong ministerial support for Malaysia’s biotechnology ecosystem.
This collaboration aims to strengthen strategic partnerships in biotechnology while supporting NIBM’s long-term aspiration to progressively position itself as a Regional Research Centre. The MoU aligns with the National Biotechnology Policy 2.0 (DBN 2.0), which seeks to transform Malaysia into a high-tech bio-innovation nation by 2030, while promoting regional capacity building, collaborative research, and knowledge exchange within ASEAN.
In addition, the ICGEB Awareness Workshop also recorded strong participation, with 242 participants registered and actively taking part in the event, comprising researchers, academicians, scientists and industry players from biotechnology community.
The event was also attended by YBrs. Puan Aidawati Misdar, Governor of ICGEB Malaysia and Secretary of the Strategic Technology and S&T Application Division, MOSTI; Academician Professor Emeritus Datin Paduka Dr. Khatijah Mohamad Yusoff, Member, Council of Scientific Advisers of ICGEB and Subject Matter Expert NIBM; YBrs. Prof. Madya Dr. Syahrilnizam bin Abdullah, Director of MGVI-NIBM; as well as management representatives from MOSTI and NIBM.