Associate Professor Dr Ashril Yusof holds a Bachelor of Science and Medical degree from St Andrews University in Scotland, which he completed in 1992. He further pursued his academic journey by obtaining a Masters in Sport and Exercise Science (Health Science) from the University of Essex in England in 1997. In 2006, he successfully completed his PhD in Sports Science, specializing in Biochemistry and Physiology, at the University of Essex. His doctoral research focused on investigating exercise-induced oxidative stress in erythrocytes. Currently, Dr Ashril Yusof serves as a senior member of the academic staff at the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Science at Universiti Malaya. He brings with him extensive experience and knowledge gained during his tenure as a member of the National Sports Medicine Institute in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2006. Additionally, he actively participates as a member of the Malaysian Association of Sports Medicine (life member) and the Malaysian Strength and Conditioning Association (since 2016). He is also an associate chief editor for Frontiers in Physiology. Dr Ashril’s research interests span a wide range of areas within exercise and sport science, as well as clinical studies. His primary focus lies in exploring metabolic changes and biochemical events occurring during severe endurance exercise. Specifically, he examines the regulation of circulatory oxidative enzymes and the senescence of erythrocytes during prolonged exercise. His research also delves into the potential manipulation of protective effects through the use of natural supplements and blood concentrates. Within his current research endeavours, Dr Ashril Yusof explores various topics, including the association between nutrition, appetite regulation, and neuromuscular fatigue. He also investigates skeletal muscle damage and healing, the impact of natural products on performance, as well as studies related to soccer or football. Moreover, he is actively involved in clinical studies concerning osteoarthritis and laser therapy, as well as obesity and postural abnormalities among school children. Dr Ashril Yusof's extensive academic background and diverse research interests position him as a valuable contributor to the fields of exercise and sport science, as well as clinical studies, furthering our understanding of human performance and health. Data Updated: November 7th, 2025 Publish or Perish h-index = 37 Publons/Clarivate h-index = 24, i10-index = 65 Total citations: 5201      

Azirah Hashim is Professor Emeritus in the English Language Department, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya. She has held several leadership positions including Executive Director of the Asia-Europe Institute (2015-2020), Director of the Centre for ASEAN Regionalism (2015-2018), Dean of the Humanities Research Cluster (2010-2015), Chairperson of the Research Ethics Committee (2013-2015) and Dean and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya (2003-2009, 1996-2002). Currently, she is a member of the steering group for the ASEAN Higher Education Community of Practice, RIHED-SHARE and a member of the Standing Working Group of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Education representing the Asia-Europe Institute. Her research interests include English in multilingual contexts, internationalisation of higher education in ASEAN and Academic and Professional Discourse. Publications include English in Southeast Asia and ASEAN: Transformation of Language Habitats, Routledge co-authored with Gerhard Leitner (2021),  Communicating with Asia: the Future of English as a Global Language , Cambridge University Press edited with Gerhard Leitner and Hans-Georg Wolf (2016, 2019) and articles in journals such as English Today, Discourse Studies and Multilingua. She was President of the International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA - https://aila.info/) from 2021 to 2024 and is Founding President of the Malaysian Association of Applied Linguistics. In addition, she is an honorary life member and in the executive committee of the Asia Pacific Languages for Specific Purposes and Professional Communication Association and is a former executive committee member of the International Association of Forensic Linguists. She was on the MyExpert committee at the Ministry of Higher Education involved in capacity building in higher education projects in Cambodia and Laos and was project leader of an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education 'Building research capacity in Malaysia and Laos' (2017-2021).  She also headed the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence: ASEAN and the EU in Dialogue (2017-2021).  In 2009, she was awarded the Georg Forster Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany for a research stay at Free University Berlin and is a Fellow of the Foundation. In 2020, she was a recipient of the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute Research Fellowship, Trinity College Dublin and in 2021, recipient of the Humboldt Fellowship for a renewed stay at FRIAS, University of Freiburg, Germany. She was also FRIAS Senior Fellow and Marie Curie Fellow of the European Union at University of Freiburg, Germany in 2022. She is Humboldt Ambassador Scientist of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/en/) from 2021 to 2027 and ASEAN Higher Education Expert in the EU SHARE programme on higher education in the ASEAN region from 2021 to 2022. Azirah is on the editorial and advisory board of English Today, International Journal of Applied Linguistics, World Englishes, Journal of Sociolinguistic Studies, GEMA Journal of Language Studies, Journal of Intercultural Communication, Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics,  Asian Journal of English Language Studies and AEI Insights: an international journal on Asia-Europe relations. Also, she is a reviewer for several journals, external examiner and assessor for several universities and on the editorial board of the Asia TEFL book series. On 29 April 2023, Azirah was awarded Honorary Membership of the Linguistic Society of the Philippines for distinguished contribution to linguistics and language research. She was also elected Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia in April 2023.

    Dr Penny Lott Pooi Wah is a consultant ophthalmologist and medical lecturer in the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Malaya. She completed her medical degree (MBBS) in 2008 and Master of Ophthalmology in 2016, both in University of Malaya. She also won the award as the best master student in her national post graduate ophthalmology examination in Malaysia. In addition, she also completed the external international ophthalmology examination, FRCOphth (UK) and was concurrently admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologist in United Kingdom in 2016.     Dr Penny Lott subsequently pursued her 3 years medical retina and uveitis fellowship training in University of Malaya, Singapore National Eye Center and St James Leeds Teaching Hospital in United Kingdom. Besides that, she also completed a fellowship attachment in the prestigious Moorfield’s Eye Hospital, London. Her fellowship training at various renowned centers had ensured her subspecialty clinical knowledge gained is at a high level.     Dr Penny Lott has a strong interest in the field of medical retina, ocular inflammatory diseases and latest multimodal imaging innovation. She has published papers in several peer reviewed journals and contributed book chapters for ophthalmology trainees. She also had international collaborative research and publication with the Singapore National Eye Centre and St James Leeds Teaching Hospital in United Kingdom. She is also a reviewer for  the International Journal of Ophthalmology. She is also frequently invited for medical talks related to her subspecialty in local national conferences as well as ASEAN ophthalmology conference.             Prior to this, she served in Sabah for 8 years since her commencement of internship back in 2008 where she was actively involved in eye screening programs in remote areas and participated in cataract camps in Sabah. After joining University of Malaya as a lecturer, she was actively involved in organizing phacoemulsification workshops for master students and she is was appointed as coordinator of phacoemulsification workshops for Master students by Malaysian Universities Conjoint Committee of Ophthalmology. (MUCCO)