Dr. Siti Patonah binti Mohamad is a senior lecturer at the Applied Science with Islamic Studies Programme, Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya. She holds a PhD (Humanities (Religion)) from Universiti Malaya and has a Master of Islamic Studies (MIs) from the same institution. She also holds a Bachelor of Applied Science with Islamic Studies (Biohealth) with Honors from Universiti Malaya. Dr. Siti Patonah's research interests primarily focus on neurodivergent individuals, specifically persons with autism (PWA), and the mental health of PWA's caretakers. Her research integrates Islamic principles and practices to better understand and support this marginalized group. For example, she studies the Quranic reading style of PWA and works on developing a biopsychosocialspiritual model of coping for Muslim parents of PWA to help them handle their stress. She is also interested in multidisciplinary research, particularly in areas such as Islam and Science, as well as Islamic psychology. Dr. Siti Patonah has contributed to the field by publishing several articles related to her studies and has received awards in seminars and conferences she has attended. In addition to her research activities, she is actively involved in teaching both foundation and degree-level students, sharing her expertise and knowledge in her areas of study. Dr. Siti Patonah's work demonstrates a commitment to bridging the gap between Islamic principles and scientific research to improve the lives of individuals with autism and their families.

Kong Kin Weng holds the position of a senior lecturer in the Department of Molecular Medicine. He joined Universiti Malaya in 2011 as a SLAI Fellow and was honoured with the esteemed Bright Spark Scholarship, which enabled him to pursue his PhD in Molecular Medicine. This marked a turning point as he delved into the molecular intricacies underlying the relationship between food and health. Kong's passion for his field drove him to explore various facets of nutritional sciences, including food analysis, food chemistry, nutritional biochemistry, nutrigenomics (transcriptomics and lipidomics), traditional medicine, and natural products. His work aimed to bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and modern scientific advancements, uncovering the hidden potential of nature's bounty. Kong's dedication to research and commitment to advancing the field did not go unnoticed. During his tenure, he received a travel award for the Japan Medical Innovation Programme (2017) established by Kyushu University that sponsored by the Japan Science and Technology Agency. He experienced as a visiting researcher at the Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College sponsored by International Joint Research and Academic Exchanges (One Belt, One Road Project) (2019) and Jeffery Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia (2023). He was the Specially-invited Expert (2017-2020) and the Research Consultant (2019-2024) of Agro-food Science and Technology Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China. Kong is actively involved in many international journals, he was the Review Editor of Frontiers in Nutrition (2017-2024) and was the Lead Guest Associate Editor of Frontiers in Nutrition and Frontiers in Chemistry (Research topic: Phytochemical and nutritional properties of underutilised plants, 2017-2018), Guest Associate Editor of Frontiers in Microbiology (Research topic: Discovery of novel plant-derived compounds with antibacterial actions against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, 2018-2019), and Editorial Board Member of Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science (2017-2021). Currently, he is serving as the Associate Editor of Frontiers in Nutrition (2024-Present), Editorial Board Member of Discover Food (2024-Present) and Editorial Board Member of Food as Medicine (2025-Present). Kong is an eminent reviewer for many journals, he was honoured with the Publons Peer Review Awards, attaining the distinction of being among the “Top 1% peer reviewers in Agricultural and Biological Sciences, 2017” and “Top 1% of Reviewer in Agricultural Sciences, 2018”. Kong has acted as an external examiner of PhD/MSc theses from different universities. His research on medicinal and functional foods has been published in many reputable peer-reviewed journals as well as book, chapters and patents.

Senior lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya, as well as the Deputy Director of the Malaysian Chinese Research Centre (MCRC)at the Universiti Malaya. He obtained his PhD in History from Xiamen University, China. He has served as a research executive at a Chinese community-funded college and as a researcher at a Malaysian private academic institution, the Centre for Malaysian Chinese Studies (CMCS). His research interests include the left-wing movement in Malaysia, Malaysian Chinese culture and associations, and the Cold War in Asia.