Dr. Zaira Zaman Chowdhury is working as a Senior Lecturer in  Nanotechnology & Catalysis Research Centre (NANOCAT), a potential National HICOE and UM COE. Earlier, she was appointed as Senior Research Fellow under the same institution. She has completed her Post Doctoral Research Fellowship from 1/10/2013-31/03/2015 in Nanotechnology & Catalysis Research Centre (NANOCAT), University Malaya. Previously, she was appointed as Research Officer in Nanotechnology & Catalysis Research Centre (NANOCAT), University Malaya from 1/04/2013 to 30/09/2013.  She has started her career with University Malaya from November 2008 Research Assistant in the Department of Chemistry under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sharifuddin Mohd. Zain. She received her PhD in Environmental Analytical Chemistry from University of Malaya in 2013, whilst MSc. In Polymer Engineering and Technology from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2003, and BSc. in Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Technology from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2001 and Bachelor in Education (BEd.) in 2007 from Royale University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. She has completed her training in Environmental Analytical Chemistry from TAFE, Sydney, Australia. She has received Cambridge International Diploma for Teacher & Trainers (CIDTT) from Cambridge University, UK with “Distinction” in 2006-2007. She has experience in the development of fiber polymer composites, waste water treatment and adsorbent preparation for batch and fixed bed adsorption system. She has worked for synthesis of micro and nano structured carbon and biomass processing using catalyst. She has conducted some research to illustrate the catalytic application of carbon as well as extraction of nano and micro dimensional cellulose. She has contributed more than 117 papers in ISI & Scopus top ranking journal with 95 international Conference Proceedings. At present she is guiding 12 PhD and 11 Mphil scholars. She has 49,715.65 RM International Grant achieved from International Industries and Universities. As a Principal investigator, she had 163,336 RM earlier. At present  (2021) she had internal funding of 3,56,000 RM and external funding of 3,37,215.86 RM as PI and co-researcher.  She has 2 International Patent having H index 25.Dr. Zaira has received several esteemed award such as Dr. Zaira has received several esteemed award such as International Education Excellence Award in nanotechnology 2021 from CPAC from UK, , Distinguished  Researcher Award in  Nano-catalyis and Water Treatment, Excellent Scientific Award in 2020 for "Carbon Chemistry and Water Treatment, IMRF Brezileius Award in Nanotechnology and Catalysis 2019, India; Best Researcher Award in Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering 2019, India; ISPA Gunasekaran Award 2018, India; Best Scientist Award in Nanotechnology 2018,  India; Elsevier’s Atlas award in 2015, Gold Award and Silver Award from Malaysian Inventions and Design Society (MINDS) and University Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP, 2013). She has received CIMA Appreciation Award from Malaysian Inventions and Design Society (MINDS) and University Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP, 2013). Recently she has received Bronze Award from International Engineering Innovation and Invention Exhibition (IENVEX), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP 2014). In 2016, she has received best paper award on Fourth Generation Nanoantioxidant Synthesis from New Zealand. 

Cheong Fei Wen obtained her Bachelor Degree in Biomedical Science (with distinction) from Universiti Malaya (UM), Malaysia. She passed her PhD with distinction and is currently holding the post of senior lecturer in the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, UM. Since PhD study, she explored into several malaria-related aspects, including protein expression of the Plasmodium knowlesi merozoite surface proteins; immunogenicity study using animal model; and epitope mapping. Her current research interests include phenotypic and genotypic measures on Plasmodium sp. resistance against anti-malarials, immunogenicity profiling of potential malarial vaccine candidates, and genome engineering in P. knowlesi using CRISPR-Cas9 system. With her deep passion in research, she has been successfully selected and awarded to attend several international workshops/courses including Ungku Omar-Newton Fund Researcher Links Workshop: Neglected Disease in SEA: Building Capacity in Epidemiological Modelling (University of Malaya, Malaysia & Imperial College London, UK) and Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Course: Malaria Experimental Genetics (WGCAC, UK). She has also obtained and be part of 10 research grants, including UM Research Fund Assistance (BKP), UM Research Excellence Grant (UMREG), Postgraduate Research Fund (PPP), Frontier Research Grant (FRG), Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), and Long Term Research Grant Scheme (LRGS), with total amount exceeding RM 2 million. With that, she has published more than 30 articles in ISI-indexed journals.  She is currently the assistant editor of the Journal of Health and Translational Medicine (JUMMEC), associate editor of Asia Pacific Journal of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (APJMBB), and editorial board member of Tropical Biomedicine. She was the council member for Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (MSPTM) in 2019-2020.  She received excellent service certificate and excellent service award, UM in 2019 and 2024, respectively. She has been appointed as Programme Coordinator and assisted the department to develop a new Master by Coursework programme (Master of Medical Parasitology and Entomology, MMPE). She is also the course coordinator for courses in MMPE and Biomedical Science Programme. She is the committee member of Quality Assurance Programme - Quality Committee, Faculty of Medicine (FOM) from 2020. With her interest in academic curriculum, she has also been appointed as Programme Quality Assurance Expert (Pro-QAE) of FOM in 2021, and Pro-QAE of UM in 2024 to assist in programme curriculum related matters. In 2025, she has been appointed as FOM Deputy Quality Manager (ProQAE and stakeholders' feedback). 

I am an anthropologist by training and I am involved in research on community development and engagement. All of my work with the communities have been supporting and creating a structure for them to participate in circular economy by empowering them with skills and knowledge that are relevant for them to establish community-based enterprise or to enhance their knowledge on being an Indigenous entrepreneurs at the rural regions. For this purpose, I adopt participatory community-based action research and ethnographic study, particularly when I conduct social impact assessment before conducting the research and after the implementations of the projects. My primary research focusing on community-driven development project that includes the applications of Indigenous knowledgeas tools for the community livelihood development in the circular economy on community-based cultural and knowledge conservation by engaging the makers, artisans and women to actively participate in the projects. The most successful research and sustainable community engagement has been the development of the Indigenous knowledge of the traditional textile, the Iban pua kumbu that has led to a series of educational polysensory exhibition, the “Textile Tales of the Pua Kumbu since 2015. I am also an art curator, curating cultural exhibitions and based on the HIR (2013-2016), I created a community-based enterprise that promotes the traditional Iban Pua Kumbu internationally.