As an academic and researcher, my professional journey is rooted in the fascinating fields of Human Anatomy and Neuroscience, with research interests spanning cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, the gut-brain axis, natural products and drug discovery, developmental toxicity, and medical education. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to secure several research grants, leading to meaningful collaborations, publications, and the supervision of a number of postgraduate students. I’ve also served as an examiner for dissertations and contributed to advancing research both within and beyond my institution.Teaching is a joy and a cornerstone of my career. I teach Human Anatomy (Gross, Embryology, and Histology) to both undergraduate (MBBS, Dentistry, etc.) and postgraduate students. I’ve been involved in curriculum development, Anatomy Practical exam coordination, OSCEs and serve on vetting committees across various UG and PG medical /dental programs—including Surgery, ENT, Ophthalmology, and Clinical Dentistry. Whether preparing students for anatomy quizzes or guiding young researchers, I believe learning should spark curiosity—and definitely a bit of laughter along the way. After all, who says the brain can’t enjoy a little tickle while studying itself?I remain engaged with several professional bodies in anatomy (MAA) and neuroscience (MSN, IBRO), and have had the privilege of serving on scientific committees, participating in conferences, and being invited as a speaker / external examiner at various academic institutions. Mentorship is particularly close to my heart—whether it's nurturing critical thinking, building confidence, or simply helping students navigate their academic journey with a steady hand.I welcome opportunities for collaboration, idea exchange, and interdisciplinary research. Whether you're working on a related project or simply passionate about the brain, the body, or how nature might influence both—feel free to connect. There’s always something new to discover, especially when minds meet across disciplines.

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.

Sameem Abdul Kareem is an academic at the Department of Artificial Intelligence, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. She started her career as a Lecturer in the Insititute of Preparatory Studies, ITM (now known as UiTM) in 1986 after  graduating with a B. Sc.(Hons.) in  Mathematics from the University of Malaya, in the same year. Sameem obtained her M.Sc. in Computing from the University of Wales, Cardiff (now known as the University of Cardiff) in 1992. She subsequently embarked on a career in the University of Malaya from 1993 onwards. She obtained her PhD in 2002; her current research interests include Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Machine Learning, Data Analytics/Mining, Image Processing and Biomedical Informatics. She was the Deputy Dean (Undergraduate) at the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, University of Malaya,  from 2001 to 2008 and the Deputy Dean (Postgraduate) from 2014 to 2016. Sameem has successfully supervised a number of Master and PhD candidates and acted as Internal and External Examiners both in and outside Malaysia.