Professor Dr. Azhar Ariffin earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with honors from Universiti Malaya in 1993, followed by a Ph.D. in Asymmetric Organic Synthesis from the University of Nottingham, UK, in 1999. Upon completing his studies, he returned to Malaysia and began his career as a young lecturer in the Chemistry Department at the University of Malaya. Over the years, he climbed the academic ranks, achieving the status of Associate Professor in 2003 and attaining the position of full Professor in 2016. From 2021 to 2022, Professor Dr. Azhar Ariffin served as the Head of the Chemistry Department before assuming the role of Deputy Dean of Research at the Faculty of Science from 2022 to 2024. Currently, he holds the position of Deputy Dean of Development at the Faculty of Science. His research endeavors predominantly focus on organic synthesis, with a specific interest in developing bioactive compounds, including derivatives of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), oxadiazole, thiadiazole, and triazole for use as antioxidants. Additionally, he explores the synthesis of various derivatives of quinazoline for potential applications in anticancer treatments. Currently, his research involves the creation of carbazole derivatives for their utility in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) materials, with a focus on improving the C(sp²)-N bond formation through the Buchwald-Hartwig reaction under microwave irradiation. Professor Dr. Azhar Ariffin's contributions extend beyond his home institution, as he served as an Experienced Researcher at Kaunas University of Technology from 2019 to 2023 under the MEGA HORIZON 2020 PROJECT: MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION STAFF EXCHANGE.

Dr. Amirah Shazana Magli is a Senior Lecturer at Universiti Malaya, specialising in Family Economics and Management. Her research focuses on financial well-being, financial vulnerability and financial literacy, particularly among B40 households in Malaysia. Her scholarly work has been widely published in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals, including Sustainability, PLOS ONE and the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. She has also authored book chapters addressing financial security, financial stress and the economic resilience of low-income communities. Her scientific interests include financial behaviour, policy management and the role of FinTech in financial inclusion. She has received multiple academic awards, including the Graduate-on-Time (GOT) Award and the Gold Award at the Professional Inventor Competition for her research on financial vulnerability models. She has also been recognised for her innovative teaching methodologies, earning the Silver Award at the i-Succeed: Innovative Learning Nexus Competition. Dr. Amirah Shazana is an active consultant and industry collaborator, contributing to financial literacy initiatives and policy-making aimed at enhancing financial security for vulnerable populations.

Academician Datuk Professor Dr Lai-Meng Looi is Malaysia’s inaugural National Distinguished Professor, positioned at  the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya (UM).  She holds a concurrent appointment as senior consultant histopathologist at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).    Professor Looi studied medicine as a Malaysian Federal Scholar at the University of Singapore (1970-1975), where she was a medalist in Pathology and Social Medicine, and won King Edward VII Hall awards for literary works, art forms and poetry.  She trained in Surgical Pathology at UM, Royal Postgraduate Medical School (UK) and Brigham and Woman’s Hospital, Boston, (USA) and defended her research doctorate (on amyloidosis) at UM.  She assumed the Chair of Pathology, UM at the age of 36 years and during her long academic career at UM has served as Department Head, Deputy Dean (Postgraduate), Chair of the Medical Centre Research Committee, representative to the Malaysian Medical Council, Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee of UMMC and UM’s Committee for External Academic Evaluators.  She continues to chair the UMMC-Medical Research Ethics Committee/ Institutional Review Board.  She has more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, mainly on amyloidosis, nephropathology and oncopathology, is devoted to promoting a research and ethical culture among researchers, has delivered >500 guest lectures and conducts scientific writing workshops nationally and internationally. Professor Looi is a Foundation Fellow and Academician of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) and has served as Chief Censor and Scribe of the Academy of Medicine Malaysia.   She has served as  Editor-in-Chief of the Malaysian Journal of Pathology, on the International Editorial Advisory Boards of Pathology, Journal of Pathology, Human Pathology and Histopathology, is Founding Vice-President of the Association of Malaysian Medical Journal Editors, and chaired the Ethics and Editorial Policies Committee of Asia-Pacific Association of Medical Editors.   A Fellow of both Royal Colleges of Pathologists, UK (RCPath) and Australasia (RCPA), she served as Examiner and Advisor to both.  She is the Founding President of the College of Pathologists, Academy of Medicine Malaysia, and was instrumental in developing pathology laboratory accreditation for Malaysia, the Pathology Act and several National guidelines on medical laboratory practices.  In 2010 she was honoured RCPA Distinguished Fellow and Inaugural National Distinguished Professor (Profesor Ulung Negara).  She was President of the World Association of Societies of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (WASPaLM) from 2013-2016, and chaired its Education Committee which focusses on capacity-building in countries-in-need.   She co-chaired the InterAcademy Medical Panel (now the InterAcademy Partnership for Health) for two elected terms (2010-2016) and currently represents ASM in its Executive Committee.   During her chairmanship, this global network of National Sciences and Medical Academies extended its initiatives into global health, the social determinants of health, urban health, and young physician leadership capacity-building. She chaired the ASM Newton-Ungku Omar Fund Committee for Bilateral Research Programmes with the Medical Research Council, UK. (2015-2018) and the 2019 MRC-Malaysia Joint Panel on Non-Communicable Diseases. She is a Member of the MRC (UK) Applied Global Health Research Board, and the InterAcademy Partnership Expert Working Group on Harnessing the World's Academies to combat predatory journals and conferences.  She is a Commissioner for the Lancet Commission on Diagnostics. Her contributions to research, education and medical science have been recognised with several accolades including the Panglima Jasa Negara (Datuk), Sri Indera Mahkota Pahang (Dato Indera), National Science Award, ASEAN Outstanding Scientist Award,  Merdeka Award 2016 (Health, Science and Technology category),  WASPaLM’s Gold-Headed Cane and Honorary Professor of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences-Peking Union Medical College. She was named in Stanford University's list of the World Top 2% Scientists 2022.