Dr. Fung Shin Yee is a biochemist, receiving her degree from the University of Malaya. She actively pursues her interest in natural compounds focusing on medicinal mushrooms. She obtained her PhD in Molecular Medicine in 2008 (University of Malaya) embarking on a joint project with University of Siena, Italy and is a recipient of a fellowship from the Embassy of Italy in Malaysia (2003-2004). Dr. Fung first joined the Department of Molecular Medicine (previously known as the Department of Biochemistry) in 2000 as a tutor; in 2008 and 2015, served as a senior lecturer and Associate Professor, respectively. She was promoted to be a Professor in 2021.  She leads the Medicinal Mushroom Research Group (MMRG) and has immense interest in Malaysia’s National Treasure, the Tiger Milk mushrooms (Lignosus sp.) amongst other medicinal mushrooms. Her innovative work with Lignosus sp. has won her several prestigious international and local prizes - including the much coveted Prix Du Salon International Des Inventions De Geneva and ITEX Gold awards ; and a number of Malaysian patents. Her interest also includes other prized medicinal mushroom such as the  Ophiocordyceps sinensis, Antrodia camphorata, Inonotus obliquus (Chaga), Sanghwang - to name a few. Her previous involvement with the Venom and Toxin Research Group (VTRG) in the Department of Molecular Medicine that works on snake venom toxinology has granted her a lucrative experience in the field of toxinology and toxicology; and has propelled her current research interest. Her research endeavours utilize a multidisciplinary approach in her methodology with multiple collaborators both local and international. Her work transcended from bench to bedside - a translational research that aims to bring the Malaysian medicinal gem to good use, promoting wellness to humankind. As a person constantly intrigue by the answers provided by nature for the problems faced in human health and social issues, she strongly believe that nature has many hidden secrets, which if one can tap into, will provide many solutions and platform from which to learn from. This has led her to her primary interest in natural compounds with healing properties. Her work has been published in many high impact articles in international journals and books. She is the Founder and CTO of Essenti Nutrien Sdn. Bhd. who specialises and pioneers the ACE Technology, well known for their flagship product, the xLr®. She is a Fellow with Royal Society of Biology (RSB), United Kingdom  and hold various leadership position. She is the Vice President of the Malaysian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (MSBMB) which is an adhering body to the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB) and The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB). She has also been elected into the Nomination Committee of the IUBMB. She also currently serves as the Vice President of The Organization for Women in Science (OWIS), part of the Organization for Women in Science of the Developing World (OWSD) - a UNESCO programme unit. She is a member with the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry (Institut Kimia Malaysia, IKM).  

Dr Norhidayah Mohd Taufek is a senior lecturer at the Institute of Biological Sciences (ISB), Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya (UM). She obtained her PhD from ISB, UM in 2017 with a specialisation in aquaculture nutrition research. She is a researcher with a demonstrated history of working in the aquaculture field on fish nutrition, reproduction endocrinology and aquaculture feed technology. Her current research interests include the development of sustainable solutions for animal feed, including aquatic animals and poultry. Special focus is given to the utilization of local renewable resources such as insects meal, including black soldier fly larvae and crickets as well as mushroom by-products and underutilized crops. She is also actively working with the industries to promote the use of the black soldier fly as a protein source to produce cost-effective and Halal feed as well as for the implementation of circular bioeconomic purposes.

Che Zarrina Sa’ari, who graduated from the University of Malaya (Bachelor's and Master's degrees) and Edinburgh University (PhD), is currently the Professor at the Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, Malaysia, working in the Department of Aqidah and Islamic Thought. She served several times as the Head of the Department of Aqidah and Islamic Thought and as the Deputy Director (Development and Research) at the same Academy, and currently she is the Deputy Director (Research) until December 2024. She was also a visiting scholar at Leiden University (2004) and Edinburgh University (2010). Dr. Che Zarrina’s broad academic and research interests involve Sufism, Islamic Psychospiritual, Islamic Psychotherapy, and Islamic Ethics. She has produced over 300 publications, including books, chapters in books, articles in journals, short articles in mass media, and conference proceedings that were presented nationally and internationally. Dr. Che Zarrina has been invited many times by national as well as international universities to deliver lectures or talks on Islamic Psychospiritual and Psychotherapy. She has also been invited to be a keynote speaker, plenary speaker, or invited speaker in seminars, conferences, and workshops nationally and internationally in her area of expertise. She has presented papers in seminars and conferences and delivered motivational talks as well as religious talks to the public from time to time, and written short articles in magazines and newspapers. Dr. Che Zarrina has produced about 50 master's students and 53 doctorate students in her field. The graduates, national and international, became her successors in the dissemination and enhancement of their expertise and have contributed to the academic world, government, and community, especially in spiritual and mental well-being. In research, she has been awarded about 105 internal and external research grants, for instance, ERGS, FRGS, MAIS Fatwa Research Grant, IIRG, MRUN, JAKIM Fatwa Research Grant, RACE, USM, JAIS Fatwa Research Grant, GP LPPKN, UMRG Project, and UMRG Programme. The outputs of the research could be seen through the graduation of graduate research assistants, publications, curriculum designs, and reviews for new courses or module improvements. In addition, those outputs have also been utilized to assist government institutions. For example, in developing modules, manuals, guidelines, policies, and fatwas. Furthermore, many of the outputs of Islamic Psychospiritual and Psychotherapy have been applied and carried out publicly by the community and non-governmental associations (NGO). To impart this knowledge to the relevant communities, Dr. Che Zarrina has been invited to facilitate the training of the trainers (ToT) workshops and intervention sessions that are usually organized by the government, such as JAKIM, Malaysian Ministry of Health, Jabatan Perpaduan Negara dan Intergrasi Nasional, state religious councils and departments, non-governmental organizations, and the public. In the professional field, based on her expertise and involvement with the stakeholders, she has gained their trust and has been appointed to one of JAKIM’s prestigious committees as an Expert Panel for Aqidah (PPA) with terms of reference to respond to current issues of `aqidah and school of thought in society and give an initial view on the issuance of a fatwa for Muzakarah Jawatankuasa Fatwa, Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Ugama Islam Malaysia (MKI). She has been involved in various committees and has been appointed as an expert panel, among others in Expert Panel for Programme Standards: Islamic Studies by Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA), Expert Panel of the Field of Aqidah and Sufism, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Top Management Committee for KSKCare Centre JAKIM, and Dini Curriculum Development for Ministry of Education Malaysia. In academic linkage, Dr. Che Zarrina has been involved as an academic advisor for several local universities, journals editor-in-Chief, advisory board member, member of journal editorial boards, postgraduate external examiner, and member of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES). She is the Editor in Chief for AFKAR: Journal of Aqidah & Islamic Thought, indexed in WoS-ESCI and SCOPUS. She has also been appointed Editor in Chief for Qalbu: International Journal of Sufism published by PERTAMA, the advisory board for the Journal of Islamic Theology Pakistan and the Journal of Islamic Research Turkey, and has become a reviewer for WoS and SCOPUS journals. She also contributes to society through her involvement with several national and international non-government organizations (NGO) such as the Islamic Psychospiritual Association Malaysia (IPSA) as Deputy President, Majlis Dakwah Negara, Persatuan Kaunseling Syarie Malaysia, and the International Association of Islamic Psychology. She has obtained several certificates as a certified practitioner, such as Psychological First Aid, Mental Health Coach, and Crisis Intervention and Trauma Counseling. Among her significant contributions to the country is her involvement from the beginning in setting up the KSKCare Centre@MTMZA JAKIM which is a community referral center that provides professional and free services to the community.  Since then, she, who leads the Islamic Psychospiritual Team, has always performed training of the trainers (ToT) managed by JAKIM and others for related persons.