Professor Dr Muhammad Yazid Jalaludin was born in 1972 in a small town, Lenggong, Perak. He received his primary education at SRK Bukit Balai, Lenggong and SRK Anglo Chinese School, Ipoh before going off to MARA Junior Science College Balik Pulau, Penang, for his secondary education. He then continued with foundation study in science at Centre for Foundation Science (Pusat Asasi Sains), University Malaya. Prof Yazid completed his fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), USA in 2009 after obtaining his MBBS in 1997 and Masters of Paediatrics in 2004, both from University Malaya. In 2010 he was awarded as a Certified Paediatric Endocrinologist by the National Specialist Register (Malaysia).   Prof Yazid joined Ministry of Health as a House-officer from June 1997 to Dec 1998 and as a Medical Officer from Dec 1998 to June 2000. He then joined University Malaya as a Trainee Lecturer in 2000 and later as a Lecturer in 2004. In 2007, he was appointed as a Senior Lecturer. He is currently a Senior Consultant Paediatrician and Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) who specializes in endocrine and diabetes management in children, and a Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya. For his excellent service, he was awarded Excellence Service Certificate by University Malaya in 2006 and 2010 and Excellence Service Award in 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023. He was also awarded the Excellent Lecturer (Clinical) Award at the University Malaya Excellence Award 2017.    He has been a member of various medical societies, including The Endocrine Society USA, International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD), Asia Pacific Paediatric Endocrine Society (APPES) and the Malaysian Endocrine and Metabolic Society (MEMS) as well as a life-member of the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA). He was the President of Asia Pacific Paediatric Endocrine Society (APPES) 2018-2020 and the President of Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) 2017-2019. He is the Vice President of MEMS 2022-2024 and 2024-2026, and Diabetes Malaysia Council Member 2023-2025.     With research interest in diabetes, obesity and vitamin D in children, Prof Yazid’s work has been published in various academic journals and as textbook chapters. Two articles on new medication for Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity in young children were published in the most prestigious medical journal, the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 2019 and 2024, respectively. He holds many significant national and international research grants. He also acts as Scientific Advisors for many multicentre international research for type 2 diabetes and obesity in children. He has numerous experiences presenting in conferences and workshops locally and abroad. He had previously received Travel Grant Awards to the International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) Meetings in Slovenia (2009), Argentina (2010) and Turkey (2012), and to the Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington DC, USA (2009) where he was awarded the winner of the Presidential Poster Presentation. He also won the Best Poster Presentation at the International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) Meeting 2012, in Istanbul, Turkey. Many of his Clinical Masters of Paediatrics students has won various awards (in National Conferences) for their research projects under his tutelage. Prof Yazid has also been involved in many support group and advocacy work. For his relentless effort in improving children's health and well-being, he was recently awarded the Asian Outstanding Paediatrician Award at the 18th Asia Pacific Congress of Paediatrics in Cebu Manila on 16th November 2024.

Dr. Siti Idayu Hasan is a Senior Lecturer in the Family Health Discipline at the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya. After completing her PhD, she embarked on a significant journey as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UMCAS, collaborating with the International Tobacco Control project team in Canada. Her work focused on measuring the psychosocial and behavioral impact of key national-level policies under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). She is a Fellow of Hong Kong WHO Collaborating Centre (Tobacco Control) and Committee Member of Scientific Tobacco Working Group (WHO FCTC Malaysia). Continuing her career, Dr. Siti Idayu became the Impact Project Manager at UMCares. In this role, she led the development and management of frameworks to monitor, evaluate, and enhance the effectiveness of community-oriented projects. Her efforts have been pivotal in ensuring that these initiatives bring about meaningful and sustainable improvements in society. Dr. Siti Idayu’s current research themes include tobacco control, mental health, and impact evaluation. Her work in tobacco control encompasses projects like Smoking Cessation, Organizing, Planning, and Execution (SCOPE), Generational Endgame (GEG), and the International Tobacco Control (ITC) project. She is also deeply involved in mental health research, aiming to address and mitigate mental health issues within the community. Beyond her research, Dr. Siti Idayu consults in the expanding field of public health, with a particular focus on tobacco control and mental health. She enjoys engaging with the community through health promotion activities, such as the Generational Endgame initiative, conducted in various settings (i.e. workplace, school and public) to raise awareness and drive positive behavioral change. Dr. Siti Idayu's commitment to improving public health is unwavering. Her work is not just about research and academia; it’s about making a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and communities. She believes that through collaborative efforts and a deep-seated commitment to health promotion, we can create a healthier, more resilient future for everyone. Her journey inspires others to join in the mission of bettering our communities and making impactful contributions to public health.    

Dr. Umar Hakim Mohd Hasri is a Senior Lecturer in Media and Communication Studies at Universiti Malaya. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Media Arts and Technology from Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, USA, and earned both his Master's and PhD in Media and Communication Studies through research at Universiti Malaya, completing his doctoral degree with the notable Graduate-On-Time (GOT) award in 2024. Dr. Umar’s research focuses on transmedia storytelling, with a particular interest in the Malaysian animation industry. His recent work explores how the BoBoiBoy and Ejen Ali franchise utilizes cross-platform storytelling to create immersive and complex narrative universes. He has published in high-impact journals indexed by both WoS and Scopus, including Media International Australia, Atlantic Journal of Communication, Communication and Research Practice, and Malaysian Journal of Communication (Jurnal Komunikasi). He has extensive teaching experience, leading courses in Multimedia Production, Screenwriting, Media and Society, Research Methodology, and Introduction to Social Sciences at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. His teaching philosophy emphasizes creative exploration and critical engagement, inspiring students to produce innovative media projects. In addition to his academic roles, Dr. Umar previously worked at Universiti Malaya Press for nearly four years, serving as a Project Officer. He played a key role in several digital transformation projects, including implementing database asset management systems to handle and secure large media assets, leading digital book conversion and management initiatives, and digitalizing management processes and filings. His expertise extends to event management, media representation, and strategic communication. Dr. Umar’s current research interests center on uncovering effective strategies in communication through immersive technology, transmedia storytelling, and digital transformation. His work focuses on how these approaches can drive economic advantages in local markets and create pathways for expansion into international trade. While grounded in media and communication studies, his research aims to bridge innovative storytelling techniques with strategic digital practices, empowering media organizations to enhance their global competitiveness.