Prof. Kwan serves as the Senior Orthopaedic Consultant of the Spine Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, and the President of the Asia Pacific Spine Society (APSS) 2023/2025. He was the Past President of the Malaysia Spine Society (MSS) 2019/21. His practice is mainly devoted to spinal deformity, i.e., scoliosis patients. He has vast experience in taking care of and treating scoliosis patients via non-operative management, as well as operative management. He operates an average of 300 spine cases a year, with approximately 200 cases of scoliosis cases. Prof. Kwan is an active member of numerous international professional spine societies. He is well-known internationally, as well as in the regional spine community, where he currently serves as the President of the Asia Pacific Spine Society (APSS). He is also an Active Member of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) and AOSpine. He has published more than 100 articles in the International/National Scientific Peer-Reviewed Journals. He was awarded many prestigious MOA research awards, namely the ‘P. Balasubramaniam Award 2014 and 2015’ for the best basic sciences research published papers for 2 consecutive years. He was later awarded the “Subir Sengupta Award in 2017 and 2018” for the best clinical research published papers for another 2 consecutive years. Due to his vast academic contributions, he was appointed as a member of various editorial board members and reviewers for many notable journals. He has written many academic books and videos related to orthopaedic and spinal surgery and has also contributed book chapters about spinal disorders. Due to his dedicated teaching, he was conferred the ‘Best Lecturer (Clinical) Award by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya in the year 2013’.
show more »Dr. Zubaidah Ya’cob is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at the Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, whose academic career has been defined by a strong commitment to advancing One Health principles, impactful infectious disease research, transformative education, and community engagement. In recognition of her international collaborations and academic contributions, Dr. Zubaidah was appointed in 2025 as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the School of Infections and Microbiomes, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, strengthening her global research engagement and fostering long-term collaboration in vector ecology and emerging zoonoses. Her research expertise lies in medical and veterinary entomology, with a specialization in public health vectors, particularly ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, sandflies, blackflies, and biting midges (Culicoides), and their roles in transmitting vector-borne diseases such as scrub typhus, rickettsioses, onchocerciasis, simian malaria, and leishmaniasis. A major focus of her current research is understanding the population dynamics of dipteran vectors, including mosquitoes, biting midges (Culicoides), and sandflies (Phlebotomus), across changing tropical landscapes, emphasizing how environmental disturbances and land-use transformation influence vector ecology, host–parasite interactions, and disease emergence in tropical ecosystems. Dr. Zubaidah has published over 70 ISI-indexed articles in reputable international journals such as One Health, Insects, PLOS ONE, Scientific Reports, Acta Tropica, Insects, Journal of Medical Entomology, and Pathogens. She has successfully secured a range of competitive national and international research grants, reflecting her strong research credibility and global engagement. Among her internationally funded projects, The Royal Society (UK) supported her work titled “Mites with Wings”, which investigates the role of avian hosts in the spread of scrub typhus–carrying mites. Through funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC, UK), she explored pathogen detection in Simulium black fly populations associated with Onchocerciasis transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. She is also an international member of a global research consortium on Onchocerciasis elimination in sub-Saharan Africa, working collaboratively with experts from the University of Liverpool, University of Oxford, New England Biolabs (USA), and the University of Sheffield, contributing entomological expertise in vector identification, pathogen detection, and disease transmission ecology. Her collaboration under the International Science Partnership Fund (UK) has led to groundbreaking research on rodent genomics and the prevalence of Orientia bacteria in domestic poultry, revealing complex zoonotic transmission pathways. Domestically, she was awarded the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) to study black fly–filarial parasite associations in Malaysia and has partnered with the Institute of Research for Development (IRD), France, to examine zoonotic disease risks in oil palm agricultural landscapes through a One Health lens. Her partnership with UMCARES extends her impact to underserved communities, delivering vector-borne disease awareness programs for primary schoolchildren and Orang Asli families, translating scientific knowledge into actionable public health benefits. Her multidisciplinary research integrates field entomology, molecular diagnostics, ecological modeling, and population genetics, demonstrating her capacity to lead innovative, solution-oriented research that advances both scientific understanding and disease control strategies. Her future work aims to investigate genetic determinants of vector competence, ecological drivers of disease emergence, and sustainable, ecologically sound vector management under the One Health framework. As an educator, Dr. Zubaidah has shown excellence in teaching and mentoring at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She teaches Biology of Organisms, Biostatistics, Statistics, and Research Methodology, promoting active learning and scientific inquiry while nurturing students’ analytical and critical thinking skills. She currently supervises five PhD candidates (two graduated) and eight Master’s students (three graduated, five ongoing). Beyond academia, Dr. Zubaidah is a science communicator and public health advocate, frequently featured on TV1’s Selamat Pagi Malaysia and Bernama TV, offering expert commentary on vector-borne diseases, particularly during flood seasons. Her community-driven initiatives, delivering health education to Orang Asli and B40 communities, earned her the Universiti Malaya Excellence Award (ACUM) in 2023 for impactful community engagement. Dr. Zubaidah also plays an active role in Malaysia’s professional entomology community. She serves as Secretary of the Entomological Society of Malaysia (ENTOMA) and is an Academic Associate Member of the Public Health Entomology Association (PEKA), reflecting her dedication to advancing entomological science and promoting national and international collaboration. Her ability to integrate science, policy, and community action continues to enhance Universiti Malaya’s reputation as a leader in public health engagement, societal impact, and One Health research excellence.
show more »Dr. ROHANA JANI is currently serves as a Specialist attached to the Department of Decision Science, Faculty of Business and Economics, Universiti Malaya (UM). She received her Doctorate (Statistics) from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, MSc (Statistics) from West Virginia University, USA and BSc (Mathematics) from Ohio University, Athens, USA. She has more than two decades of teaching experience in the field of mathematics, statistics and quantitative data analysis. Her areas of expertise include Statistical Data Analysis using Multivariate Techniques, Quantitative Research Methodology, Market Research, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) applications. Her research areas cover issues related to human resources, higher education, gender, youths, disabilities, aging and sexual reproductive health, among which are Family Planning Practice Study in Malaysia; Graduate Tracer Study, MOHE, Malaysia; Studies of Students with Disabilities in HEIs; Quality of Life (QOL) of (PWDs) in Malaysia; Work and Employment of People with Disabilities in Malaysia; Attitudes towards people with disability and Streamlining Disability into Mainstream Society; Impact of COVID-19 on Deaf Community in Malaysia and A Study of Gender Imbalance in Education. Among her publications include; Gender Differences In Learning Support and Academic Achievement; Persons with disabilities Education and Quality of Life: evidence from Malaysia; Understanding Autism through Intervention Programs; Psychometric Properties of the WHO Quality of Life Disability (WHOQOL-DIS) among Persons with Disabilities in Malaysia; Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Smoking among University Of Malaya Students in Malaysia and Soft Skills And Graduate Employability: Evidence From Malaysian Tracer Study
show more »RECENT PUBLICATION
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Abdullah, Muhammad Fazrin; Jauhari, Iswadi; Sabri, Mohd Faizul Mohd; Ghazali, Nik Nazri Nik (2025). A Novel Vertical Axis Parallel Turbines System for in-pipe Hydropower Generation: Conceptual Design and Preliminary Experiment. Energy Sources Part a-recovery Utilization and Environmental Effects
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Shaharudin, Mohd Rizaimy; Zailani, Suhaiza; Tan, Keah-Choon; Cross, James; Hotrawaisaya, Chattrarat (2025). Fostering Closed-loop Supply Chain Orientation by Leveraging Strategic Green Capabilities for Circular Economy Performance: Empirical Evidence from Malaysian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturing Firms. Environment Development and Sustainability
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Wong, Li Ping; Alias, Haridah; Tan, Sik-Loo; Sia, Thiam Eng; Saw, Aik (2025). An Exploration of Death Anxiety of Family Members of Silent Mentor Body Donation Program. Omega-journal of Death and Dying
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Altarturi, Hamza H. M.; Nor, Adibi Rahiman Md; Jaafar, Noor Ismawati; Anuar, Nor Badrul (2025). A Bibliometric and Content Analysis of Technological Advancement Applications in Agricultural E-commerce. Electronic Commerce Research
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Zhao, Yang; Hamidi, Mashitah; Abd Wahab, Haris (2025). Challenges of Palliative Care in Advanced Cancer Patients in The Chinese Mainland: a Qualitative Study. Omega-journal of Death and Dying
TOTAL PUBLICATIONS AS OF DATE 2098
LATEST AWARDED GRANT
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UM Case Study Centre (umcsc)--co-create High-impact Teaching Cases, Policy Analyses, and Evidence-based Insights
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Global Collaboration Initiative for Research Excellence?sustaining High Impact Partnerships and Facilitating Cross-border Knowledge Creation.
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Neuro Behavioural Lab (nb-lab)--elevate Research Capabilities in Behavioural Science, Neuromarketing, and Decision Analytics
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Stakeholder Engagement for Plant Molecular Farming Technology in Malaysia
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Smart Hydrogel-ai Irrigation System for Real-time Moisture Management in Controlled-environment Agriculture
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Big Data-enabled Tag-sensor System for Smart Electrical Safety and Asset Management in Power Plants
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Development of Bio-based Flocculants for Industrial Wastewater Treatment: Towards Sustainable Sludge Management
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Revolutionizing Oral Health With Ai-powered Intraoral Scanning Device
