Dr Madiha Baharuddin is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Applied Science with Islamic Studies Programme, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya (UM). She graduated with first class honours in her first degree of Applied Science with Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, majoring in Information Technology. It is not only the first, but one and only bachelor’s degree in Malaysia that offers a double major programme between Islamic Studies and Science. During her PhD studies, she was appointed as a visiting fellow of University of Paris, France under the mentoring and supervision of one distinguished Emeritus Professor Dr Roshi Rashed. She started her academic career in UM after the completion of her PhD from UM in 2015. Her academic interest is primarily to understand the relationship between the development of science/technology and Islam, particularly within the context of its historical backgrounds, Islamic science, and what science and technology may contribute to the Muslim society. She teaches and supervises both undergraduate and postgraduate courses/students that relate Islam, science and technology. She also has been actively engaging with university’s aim and administration since her appointment. She was appointed by the Vice Chancellor of UM as the Coordinator of Applied Science with Islamic Studies Programme for six (6) years. Throughout those years, she has been actively engaging herself in research as Principle Investigator for one of UM Research Grants entited Applied Science With Islamic Studies Programme: A Research On Its Curriculum Design. Her research also includes proposing a better curriculum in order to integrate Islam and science in higher degree institutions.

Dr Wong Kah Hui is an Associate Professor at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology (Honours with Distinction) in 2003, Master of Science (with distinction) in 2007 and Doctor of Philosophy in Human and Animal Physiology in 2011 from Universiti Malaya. She is currently the Academic Editor of PLOS ONE, Editorial Board Member of BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, Coordinator of Postgraduate Research Programme (Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya) and the life member of Malaysian Anatomical Association (MAA) (appointed as MAA ambassador and former treasurer of MAA, 2015-2021). She was honoured as Outstanding Anatomist (Research)–Established Career Category by MAA on 30 Aug 2023 for her remarkable contributions to anatomical sciences research. She has published 66 articles in Web of Science (WOS)-indexed journals with an H-index of 24 and total citations of 1446; and five book chapters. Her research focuses on using alternative medicines, in particular the culinary and medicinal mushrooms cultivated in Malaysia for neuroprotection and neuroregeneration in cellular and animal models. She is also engaged with Ganofarm R&D Pte. Ltd. and Grusonn Wellness Pte. Ltd. through the collaborative planning on Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Agreement; Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine University of Hong Kong as a Visiting Research Fellow; and Corielle Institute for Medical Research, New Jersey, USA to pursuit scientific research leading to treatments for hereditary ataxia, the Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) on Material Transfer Agreement. Alternative medicines have the advantages of non-invasive, cost-effective and no adverse reactions for patients which could eventually be a breakthrough in the treatment for hereditary ataxia. She aims to integrate Hericium erinaceus mushroom dietary supplement as a novel treatment strategy in clinical practice at the Traditional and Complementary Medicine units of Ministry of Health (MOH) hospitals and its future application in degenerative cerebellar ataxia and movement disorders. The above-mentioned areas are conducted by 9 PhD (5 former and 4 active) candidates who have always been enthusiastic about neuroscience research. A PhD thesis titled Protective Mechanisms of Hericium erinaceus (NevGro®) against Oxidative Stress in in vitro models of Friedreich’s ataxia and Depression was awarded Distinction for Thesis by the University on 27 September 2022. As a team leader, her research group was granted with 12 awards (2 special awards, 7 golds, 2 silvers and a bronze) at various international invention and innovation exhibitions. Her latest innovation titled NevGro® and its functional metabolites for spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 received a bronze medal at the 24th Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE) 2025 – International Innovation Awards held on 20-22 February 2025.  She was invited as a speaker for Knowledge Sharing Session at MTE 2025. The session was designed to showcase industry expertise, innovations and insights to a wider audience. She also represented UM to showcase NevGro® at the Putrajaya Festival of Ideas (PFOI) 2025 on 3-7 November 2025. NevGro® was selected as one of the top 24 innovations from 10 local universities by the Director-General of Higher Education Malaysia. She also won gold awards at the International Invention, Innovation, Technology Competition & Exhibition (ITEX) 2023 and 2024, Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE) 2020 and 2022, Creation and Innovation, Technology & Research Exposition (CITREX) 2021, Melaka International Intellectual Exposition (MIIEx) 2019, Platinum, Most Outstanding Academician and Gold awards at the Penang International Invention, Innovation and Design (PIID) 2019, and two silver medals at the Special Edition 2022-The Inventions Geneva Evaluation Days-Virtual Event and ITEX 2024. The achievements were featured on UM Research Bulletin (2019 and 2024) Rubrica News Bulletin (2022), The University of Hong Kong Media-Press Releases (2022), pulse@UM (2020-2022), Milestone@UM Newsletter (2019 and 2020) and The Petri Dish (2018). Dispensing high-quality teaching and professional education is the primary goal of any university. She teaches human anatomy to the MBBS, BDS, BBiomedSc and Postgraduate Basic/Clinical Teaching Programme students. Her teaching philosophy is to be passionate, enthusiastic and engaging. Her recent publication in Clinical Anatomy (https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.24283, impact factor: 2.3, JIF Quartile: Q1) highlighted the need for developing critical thinking and analytical skills in preclinical undergraduate medical curricula. She was awarded the Best Preclinical Lecturer for MBBS-UMMP Programme of Universiti Malaya in 2017 and 2019. Her team comprising fellow colleagues of Department of Anatomy, and Medical Education Research and Development Unit (MERDU) of the Faculty of Medicine won a silver award for a project titled “Bridging The Gap in The Knowledge of Anatomy as a Doctor Journeys Through The Postgraduate Medical Training” at the Learning Innovation and Teaching Enhancement Research Conference 2017 (UM-LiTeR 2017) and a bronze award for a project titled “Practical Guide to Facilitate Problem-Based Learning Among Novice Medical Students: Eight Top Tips” at the kNOVASI 2020 Teaching and Learning Congress and Innovation Competition. She represented Universiti Malaya to present a status report of Anatomy Resource Centre (ARC) of Faculty of Medicine at the Committee of Museums and Galleries for Malaysian Public Universities (MyMUSE) Conference and Exhibition in 2019 showcasing the anatomical specimens, its primary function in medical education and future development. She was appointed as the Advisor and one of the trainers by the Faculty of Medicine and Medical Society (MEDSOC) of Universiti Malaya to facilitate the selected Stage 1&2 MBBS students in the preparation for various national competitions including the Intervarsity Medical Quiz Challenge (IMQC) and Intervarsity Medical Olympiad (IVMO). In the 10th edition of IMVO held in 2021, the students secured first and second positions in the individual and group categories, defeating 16 public and private universities in Malaysia.

Associate Professor Dr. Santha Chenayah has demonstrated sustained excellence across academic scholarship, institutional leadership, and societal engagement for over three decades. Her intellectual contributions to the fields of environmental economics, operations research, and sustainability reflect a trajectory of deep expertise, policy relevance, and global impact. Holding a Ph.D. and Master’s in Economics from Osaka University, Japan, and a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from Universiti Malaya, she possesses a foundation rooted in both analytical rigor and regional policy insight.Dr. Chenayah’s research output includes over 40 peer-reviewed publications, many in high-impact journals indexed by Web of Science, Scopus, and ESCI. Her body of work addresses climate change mitigation, green disposal behavior, electric vehicle adoption, and solid waste management, demonstrating her interdisciplinary approach to contemporary environmental challenges. She has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Researcher on more than 20 funded projects supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, University of Malaya, and global institutions such as the World Bank. Her scholarly excellence is recognized through prestigious accolades, including the Outstanding Paper Award by Emerald Literati (2019), multiple Excellent Service Awards from University of Malaya, and the JSPS RONPAKU Fellowship awarded by Japan (2003–2007).Dr. Chenayah has contributed extensively to academic development through course instruction, programme coordination, and postgraduate supervision. She has taught more than 15 undergraduate and postgraduate modules covering macroeconomics, environmental economics, welfare economics, Environmental Management and Planning. Between 2020 and 2025 alone, she was appointed as internal examiner for over 40 postgraduate theses. Her leadership in academic quality assurance includes contributions to curriculum redesign and assessment at faculty and national levels.In addition to her pedagogical responsibilities, Dr. Chenayah has held key administrative roles, including multiple terms as Head of the Department of Economics at Universiti Malaya. She has served on more than 70 institutional and faculty-level committees, ranging from safety and health boards to steering panels on strategic policy and curriculum development. Her editorial leadership includes current appointments as the Chief Editor and Associate Editor of Institutions and Economies, and Associate Editor of the Singapore Economic Review (2024–2026), reflecting her influence in shaping scholarly discourse in economics across the region.A defining aspect of Dr. Chenayah’s professional portfolio is her international engagement and representation. As the Honorary Secretary of the Malaysian Economic Association (MEA), she has actively represented Malaysia at Federation of ASEAN Economic Associations (FAEA) conferences across ASEAN countries. These diplomatic assignments underscore her role in promoting regional economic integration, academic exchange, and multilateral collaboration. By fostering intellectual ties and facilitating joint dialogues on policy and development, her contributions have elevated Malaysia’s visibility in regional economics while expanding her own transnational scholarly networks. Such experiences enrich her academic leadership and position her as a regional ambassador of Malaysian economic thought.Complementing her academic and regional roles, Dr. Chenayah has contributed her expertise to national policy development and consultancy initiatives. She has led and participated in advisory projects for key institutions including the World Bank, MB Inc. Perak, and Malaysia’s Ministry of Environment, addressing strategic themes such as circular economy planning, rare earth supply chain resilience, and carbon mitigation. Her consistent engagement with media outlets, webinars, and public policy forums highlights her ability to translate research into actionable insights.Through the integration of research excellence, pedagogical innovation, academic stewardship, and ASEAN-level diplomatic engagement, Dr. Santha Chenayah exemplifies the ideals of a modern scholar whose work transcends borders and disciplines. Her sustained record of contributions aligns with Universiti Malaya’s mission to foster transformative education and globally relevant scholarship.