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.

Lucy Lum Chai See joined the University of Malaya, Department of Paediatrics in 1990. Assigned to the paediatric acute care ward, she recognised the need of acutely ill children and set to look after them even though resources were meagre, the resistance to expansion stiff and the doctors and nurses lacking in knowledge and skills. Pioneers of Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) were invited to Malaysia to begin PALS training. Over the next four years, Lucy and colleagues contributed to twenty-five consecutive training courses for >800 doctors and nurses in 12 of 13 states. Her enthusiasm and perseverance saw her refining the management of severe dengue in children and other critical conditions. She underwent clinical-fellowship training in paediatric intensive care in The Hospital for Sick Children, in 1996. The Toronto and the North American experience shaped Lucy’s physiological approach to mechanical ventilation of healthy and sick lungs.  She later became the first Malaysian to complete the Paediatric examination for the European Diploma in Intensive Care.  Back in Malaysia, the P1 Acute Care Ward was hit by a shortage of funding and support. Despite of the limited resources, the unit played a key role in defining the pathophysiology of EV71 outbreak which caused many deaths in 1997. In 2001 the Hospital allowed a charity fund to be established.  Soon after The Star highlighted the PICU work, generous support poured in through individual, public and corporate donations. Then UMMC eventually acknowledged the work and formed the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.  For the first time the PICU received a stronger allocation of nurses and budget needed to ensure the smooth delivery of intensive care for children. Humanitarian medicine should not be a casualty of technology.  Lucy is very much a hands-on bedside doctor. Her clinical rounds are characterised by both an incisive analysis of history, physical examinations and investigations as well as standing back to view the “Google map”.  Doctors and nurses are trained not just to treat the disease, but to treat the patient as a human being connected to families and societies. Her clinical expertise was sought after by WHO, and regional offices in the Western-Pacific Region where she has been to China, Laos, the Solomon Islands and Africa.  She was invited by WHO/TDR to be the lead author of the handbook on clinical case management of dengue and by WPRO to design a training curriculum of dengue management.  She was credited for bringing calm to a chaotic situation in the Solomon Islands, a poor nation of islands in the middle of the Pacific. Re-training doctors in basic clinical techniques which identify the high risk patients was her legacy. She has managed to unify the various clinical departments in UMMC to work together so that dengue patients do not fall between the cracks. She collaborated with the various hospitals in Ministry of Health and WHO, Geneva, Oxford University, Brandeis University, and other universities in Singapore, SEAsia, Latin America and European Union. In the field of paediatric intensive care, she collaborates with colleagues in North America and around the world in pediatric sepsis, congenital diaphragmatic hernia and neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.   Compassion has to be the driving force behind the otherwise just another slogan, “First, do no harm”. Through her inspirational leadership, the PICU which used to record high rates of nosocomial infections has been transformed into one with high rates of hand hygiene and low rates of infection.  Yet, the work is not finished; her KPI (key performance index) for her staff is zero blood stream infection.  Indeed this is possible.

Dr. Hairul Hasnan is a distinguished educator and accomplished music professional, holding a doctorate degree in Music and a master's degree in Music Production from the University of York, a prestigious institution in the UK. His academic journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Physics with Electronics, before he pursued his passion for music with a subsequent Bachelor's degree in Music. With a diverse background, Dr. Hasnan embarked on a rich career path, starting as a full-time musician at Radio Televisyen Malaysia, Malaysia's national broadcasting station. During his tenure, he actively participated in numerous recording sessions in studios and delivered captivating live performances with the RTM combo. As a seasoned music producer, Dr. Hasnan boasts an impressive portfolio of studio recordings, including the recent release of a 10-song album for Reening Lau, generously funded by Cendana (Cultural Economy Development Agency, Malaysia). He has also lent his production expertise to the debut EP of TitikDinginDamai titled "Belumkata", both of which are available for streaming on various digital platforms. His proficiency lies in pop and rock music, with a specialization in drums for both recording and live performances. Presently, Dr. Hasnan is deeply involved in the Malaysian indie scene, nurturing emerging talents such as We Are Avalanche and Laras dari Rasian. Beyond his creative endeavors, Dr. Hasnan actively engages in professional development initiatives. He has conducted numerous music production workshops, including sessions at Lembaga Kebudayaan Sabah, Radio Televisyen Malaysia, and several private companies. Additionally, he serves as the Secretary for the Audio Engineering Society (AES) Malaysia. Dr. Hasnan's contributions extend to scholarly pursuits as well. He authored the first Malay-language book on music production, titled "Asas Rakaman dan Produksi Muzik", a pioneering work in the field. Furthermore, his research on Nonlinear Mixing Systems, conducted during his tenure at the University of York, was presented at prestigious events such as the AES Convention 2019 in Dublin and the Art of Recording Conference at Berklee College of Music. Currently, Dr. Hasnan serves as a Senior Lecturer, imparting his expertise in audio engineering and music production at the esteemed University Malaya.