Professor Chong Mei Chan, PhD, is an accomplished nursing academic and leader with over 20 years of expertise in gerontology, maternal-child health, and e-learning innovations. Currently a Professor at the University of Malaya (UM), she holds a BSc in Nursing (UM, 1995), MSc in Community Health (UPM, 2005), and PhD in Nursing (Monash University, 2014). Her research addresses critical public health issues, including Time banking for community-dwelling older adults, Chronic disease management, and nursing education adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond academia, she actively engages in community health promotion and has established international collaborations with institutions in Australia, China, Taiwan, Jordan, Iran, UAE, UK, Japan, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. As Head of UM’s Nursing Department (2018–2023), Prof. Chong led transformative initiatives that elevated the program into the QS World Rankings (150–200) and achieved top departmental status in research publications for two consecutive years. Her leadership extends to national policy, having served on the Malaysian Nursing Board, Nursing Council for Higher Education, and the Health White Paper Advisory Council (2022–2023). She also co-authored Malaysia’s strategic roadmap for health workforce development as a member of the Ministry of Health’s Strategic Engagement Group on Health Workforce and Governance. An internationally recognized scholar, Prof. Chong has published 100+ papers (70+ in WoS/ISI journals), authored 6 textbooks, and supervised 66+ postgraduate candidates (40 PhDs graduated). With 2,130+ citations (h-index: 25, Google Scholar), she is a frequent keynote speaker and external examiner for nursing programs across the Asia-Pacific. Her dedication to advancing nursing education is further demonstrated through her mentorship of early-career researchers and ongoing roles in interprofessional healthcare initiatives.  

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ninie Suhana Abdul Manan is a lecturer and researcher at Universiti Malaya, recognised for her expertise in electrochemistry, advanced materials, and ionic liquids. She completed her PhD at Queen's University Belfast, focusing on the electrochemical behaviours of inorganic species—such as sulfur, mercury, and rare-earth elements (Lanthanides)—in ionic liquids. Her strong foundation in electrochemistry drives her research, particularly in redox processes and ion exchange at interfaces, contributing to significant advancements in electroanalytical chemistry. Her research portfolio underscores her contributions to developing state-of-the-art electrochemical sensors for the precise detection and quantification of chemical species. With applications in environmental monitoring and medical diagnostics, Dr. Abdul Manan has excelled in creating non-enzymatic biosensors and innovative electrode surface modifications.  Dr. Abdul Manan is also at the forefront of research on ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DES), celebrated for their non-volatility, tunability, and environmental friendliness. Her work investigates these solvents for applications in electrochemistry, separation technologies, metal recovery, redox flow battery, and enhancing absorbents' efficiency in removing industrial contaminants, promoting sustainable industrial practices and green chemistry solutions. A significant milestone in her career was her 2017 collaboration with Lynas (M) Sdn. Bhd., where she was involved in developing ionic liquid-based methods for extracting heavy rare-earth elements, aiming to reduce acid consumption in the stripping process. She is a key member of the University of Malaya Centre for Ionic Liquids (UMCiL) and the Malaysia Ionic Liquid Research Society (MRILS), where she serves on the committee for 2024. Dr. Abdul Manan played a pivotal role in registering the society under ROS in 2016, where she was the first vice-chairman. Moreover, she actively engages with national and international industries through her work at the Center of Excellence for Rare Earth Elements for Analysis, Technology, and Exploration (CREATE) at Universiti Malaya focusing on midstream activities. Throughout her career, Dr. Abdul Manan has secured more than RM 2 million in research funding as a principal investigator and co-researcher for various projects to show her dedication to research activities. In her department, Dr. Abdul Manan holds various leadership roles, including Chair of the Postgraduate Bureau (2020) and Chair of the Undergraduate Bureau (2024). Her academic career is further distinguished by key responsibilities such as Program Coordinator, MQF Coordinator, Timetable Coordinator, Academic Advisor, and participation in multiple task forces, reflecting her steadfast dedication to academic and institutional development. Since 2013, Dr. Abdul Manan has been actively involved in training Malaysia’s International Chemistry Olympiad team, representing the country as a Scientific Observer (2014 and 2015) and Head Mentor (2018 and 2024). She was a key figure in establishing the Malaysian Association Science Olympiads (MASO), registering it under the Registrar of Societies (ROS), and currently serves as its first treasurer (2023-2024). Dr. Abdul Manan has received numerous awards for her work, including the UM Excellent Service Awards (2014, 2017) and the Certificate of Excellent Service (2023). The Academy of Sciences Malaysia recognized her with a prestigious award, inducting her into the Young Scientist Network (2023-2026), showcasing her leadership and commitment to scientific excellence.

Dr. Leong research focus on investigating the mechanism of action of potent compounds toward developing new anticancer and antidiabetes drugs. His research adopts an in vitro approach using cell-based and enzymatic assays to identify the various cellular pathways modulated by a potent compound. The research outcome is to understand the mechanism of action of the compound, a prerequisite requirement in developing a new drug entity. In addition, he employs metabolomics to evaluate biomarkers in explaining the treatment outcomes or disease progression. International collaboration has geared his research towards cancer stem cells and utilizing zebrafish as an animal model for cancer. It is believed that cancer stem cells is a subset of cells in tumour that drives chemoresistance and relapse in cancer patients. Therefore, strategies to develop new chemotherapy against the subset of cells is of great interest to tackle the problem.