Originally trained as an algal molecular taxonomist and phylogeneticist, Dr Poong has a diversified research portfolio specializing in gene and metabolites expression studies using omics tools, genetic diversity and population structure of fish and seaweed, algal physiological and biochemical stress response and adaptation to climate changes, and shifts in microbiome using metagenomics. Dr Poong plays a key role in developing research proposals to attract local and international funding, managing research grants, organization of international conferences and workshops. She is an Honorary (Lifetime) Member of the International Society for Applied Phycology since June 2024.

  Dr Mariney Mohd Yusoff has served as a senior lecturer since 2007 in the Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya. She obtained her degree in 1995 and Master in Geography 2001 from University of Malaya. In 2007 she received her PhD from University of Leeds in Geography. She specialized in urban geography, urban environment, flash floods and social impact studies. Dr Mariney Mohd Yusoff has been actively involved in research activities as principal investigator and co-researcher under various research grants which collaborate with diverse researchers, national and international. To date, her cumulative research funding is amounting RM900,000.00. The current research grant is collaboration with AIR Selangor under a private industry grant in which the MoU of the research has been signed by the Vice Chancellor of University Malaya with the CEO of AIR Selangor in 2021. In the project, she is a group leader for the land use section. Dr Mariney Mohd Yusoff has produced more than 90 publications in Web of Science (WoS), Scopus Journals, book, book chapters, referred journals and conference papers. Most of her papers have been published in reputable international publishers such as Elsevier, Routledge, Springer and MDPI. For her publication in WoS, she has published her papers in Q1, Q2 Q3, and in ESCI. Dr Mariney Mohd Yusoff has presented her paper in local and international conferences. She has been invited as planetary speakers and invited speaker in international conferences. Besides, she was also appointed as visiting lecturer in Universitas Bandar Jakarta, Indonesia in 2021. Currently, she also serves in the Editorial Board of the Malaysian Journal of Tropical Geography and Sarjana. She was also assigned as reviewer for WoS journal and other international journals. Besides, she has been appointed as external and internal examiners for thesis and manuscript reviewer for several universities in Malaysia. Dr Mariney Mohd Yusoff has five completed PhD students and six completed Masters by research. At the moment she supervised six PhD students and two Masters by research. Her present duty under administrative work is as a deputy head, for the Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Besides, she has served as University Malaya auditor in 2016 and as chief internal auditor for Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences from 2019 to 2021. Dr Mariney Mohd Yusoff also represents the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences to the library.      

Professor Dr Sivakumar Krishnasamy is currently a senior lecturer and Senior Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon in University Malaya Medical Centre. He graduated from University Malaya in 2002.  He was awarded the gold medal for MRCS Edinbrugh examination (2006) as the best overall candidate for the exam.In 2010 he was awarded the Al-Hadi gold medal as the overall best candidate for the Masters in General Surgery. He is the first Asian to be awarded the Gold medal and overall best performer in the esteemed European Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery in 2016 and was given the book prize for the exam as the highest overall achiever in the history of the European Cardiothoracic Surgery exam. Prof Siva did his initial training in General Surgery in Ipoh General Hospital. He joined the Masters In General Surgery in 2006 and completed it in 2010. He subsequently worked as a General Surgeon in Kota Bahru before joining University Malaya as a senior lecturer in 2011. He did his initial years of Cardiothoracic training in University Malaya and went on to IJN in 2013. He left to the UK in 2014 and completed his FRCS (Edin )CTh in 2016. During his stay in the UK, he did a 1 year formal Aortic Fellowship under the guidance of Mr Jorge Masacro and 1 year of Thoracic fellowship in Heartlands Hospital which is a regional Thoracic Referral Centre for West Midlands.  He has a keen passion for MDT and since coming back he has setup the Aortic and Endovascular MDT in UM and also is actively involved in the Thoracic and lung cancer MDT in UM. Recently in 2019 he was awarded the prestigious Francis Fontan Uniportal VATS Fellowship by the European Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery (First in the world to receive the award). His fellowship was in the World’s largest Lung Cancer Hospital, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, where the centre does around 20000 lung resection cases per year. Since coming back he has developed the Uniportal VATS services in University Malaya.    Since 2017 , he has organised the Annual International Aortic Symposium , which is an event that is jointly done annualy with IJN. He has also been instrumental in holding the International FRCS Cardiothoracic Examination in University Malaya since 2018 , where he is the local organiser for the exam in Malaysia. Since 2018 he has been organising the International Cardiothoracic Review Course , which is the KL Review course which has endorsement from the Birmingham Review Course UK and is attended by all regional cardiothoracic trainees. The course has been running well annualy till date. Besides that he is also the Department of Surgery Quality Manager and recently has been appointed as a member of the Subspeciality Education Committee for Cardiothoarcic Surgery by the Malaysian Medical Council. He is also a board member of the Malaysian Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery which is the national training body for cardiothoracic surgery. Recently he has also been appointed as the chair for the National Curriculum writting group for Cardiothoracic Surgery. Being the Chair of the National Curriculum for Cardiothoracic Surgery , he has succesfully launched the Curriculum with members of the Cardiothoracic Society in April 2022. This was also done in conjuction with a memorandum of understanding with Royal College of Surgeons Edinbrugh to run the Parallel Pathway Programme for Cardiothoracic Surgery with University Malaya as the local Education Provider and Assoc Prof Sivakumar as the Administrator in Charge of it.  With a busy clinical and academic portfolio, he also has been actively involved in various publications in peer reviewed cardiothoracic journals and has been an emminent national and international speaker in various local and international meetings. He is also a reviewer for the Malysian Medical Journal and is part of the editorial for Journal of Interventional Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinbrugh , Member of the European Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery , member of the Asian Cardiothoracic Society , Malaysian Cardiothoracic Society (MATCVS) and Southeast Asian Thoracic Society (SEATS). Prof Sivakumar is also a visiting consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon to Penang GH and IJN for complex Aortic Surgeries. Over the years he has worked togather with the team in Penang GH to developed the Aortic Arch and Complex Aortic Surgery Programme. He is a trainer for the local trainees under the Parallel Pathway Training Programme with Royal College of Surgeons Edinbrugh and also an appointed trainer for Uniportal VATS Surgery by SouthEast Asian Thoracic Society. His clinical experience cover the whole spectrum of adult cardiac surgery and the whole spectrum of Aortic Surgery ( open and endovascular). In thoracic surgery all aspects of thoracic surgery are done by him which includes minimally invasive thoracic surgery for all thoracic case like lung cancer and mediastinal tumours and complex thoracic cases which includles tracheal surgery , mesothelioma, chest wall resection and reconstruction.New clinical service in Aortic Surgery was started by Prof Sivakumar , mainly Total Arch Replacement with Frozen Elephant Trunk , Descending thoracic aorta replacement and Thoracoabdominal Aortic surgery. In Thoracic Surgery , he started the Uniportal VATS Surgery ( Single Key Hole VATS ) service and has established himself as a regional trainer for this procedure in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.   Since 2022 Prof Sivakumar has been appointed as the Main Coordinator for the Cardiothoracic Parallel Pathway training Program under Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh in Universiti Malaya. He is also an Examiner for the Quadripartite Exam for Cardiothoracic Surgery by Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh since 2022. Togather with the regional surgeons from Hong Kong and Singapore he also has contributed to the Exam bank of the College.   As a Professor in the University , he takes on clinical and pre clinical teaching for undergraduate students throughout the year. He also takes trainees from General Surgery for their cardiothoracic rotation posting. There have been 5 clinical masters student who has completed their research project under him and currently there are 4 ongoing Clinical Masters and 1 international PHd student. There many clinical trails and research colloborations locally and internationally that he is involved as principal investigator or co investigator.    Recent most appointment is the Head Coordinator for Masters in Cardiothoracic Surgery , Universiti Malaya which is being started as a new postgraduate progam under the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya. Professor Dr Sivakumar is also the current Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery Universiti Malaya. Recent most award is from Royal College of Surgeons Edinbrugh where he was awarded the Fellow of the Faculty of Surgical Trainers which carries the title FFST (Edin). This was given in February 2025.