Dr Azar is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Language and Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya, Malaysia. He also got his Ph.D. (in Applied Linguistics) from Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya. In a career spanning 27 years, he has worked as an EFL/ESL senior lecturer, researcher, and curriculum developer in Iran, Turkey, Qatar, and Malaysia. He has published and presented research papers on his topic of interest namely TESL, Academic Discourse Analysis, Genre Analysis, Corpus Linguistics, Educational Technology, and English Language Teaching Strategies in several prestigious journals and international conferences. He is the Editor of three books, including ‘Reconceptions of Policies, Strategies, and Challenges in Education 5.0.’, ‘Innovations in Educational Robotics: Advancing AI for Sustainable Development’, and ‘Smart Education and Sustainable Learning Environments in Smart Cities’. The books will be published by IGI Global- Publisher, USA. Besides, Dr. Azar has been appointed as a member of the Editorial Board for several journals, including the Asian Journal of University Education (AJUE), established by Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia; the International Journal of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics (IJMAL), established by Akademi Pengajian Bahasa (APB), Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia; Education Quarterly Reviews, established by the Asian Institute of Research; and the Pegem Journal of Education and Instruction (PEGEGOG), established by PEGAGOG Academy Yayıncılık Eğitim Danışmanlık Hizmetleri Editörlük Hizmetleri, Turkey.

Currently serving as the Head of the Department of Parasitology at the Universiti Malaya (UM), Professor Dr. Lau Yee Ling has an impressive academic background. In 2008, while awaiting her PhD viva, she began her academic career as a lecturer at Monash University Sunway Campus. During her tenure at Monash University, she received two Monash University Research Grants, which allowed her to pursue her research in the field of molecular parasitology. In 2009, she returned to her alma mater, the University of Malaya, as a Senior Lecturer. Her dedication and contributions led to her receiving tenure in 2010, followed by promotions to Associate Professor in 2013 and Professor in 2019. She was appointed a fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia in 2019. Professor Lau's scientific pursuits have primarily revolved around the comprehensive investigation of Plasmodium knowlesi, a zoonotic parasite known for its significant role in the development and transmission of malaria. Her research focuses on utilizing advanced molecular techniques to identify, detect, and characterize these parasites in both human and animal hosts. By employing state-of-the-art molecular methods, Professor Lau aims to advance our understanding of Plasmodium knowlesi and its interactions with its hosts, ultimately contributing to the development of effective control and prevention strategies. Throughout her career, Professor Lau has collaborated with local and international researchers, resulting in the publication of over 240 ISI journals. Her published work has accumulated a total WoS citation index of 4861 and an H-index of 35. Her exceptional research achievements have also enabled her to secure various international and local research grants, including the NIH R01, Wellcome Trust, Hubert Curien Partnership-Hibiscus (PHC-Hibiscus), ASEAN-India Collaborative R&D scheme, GCRF Global Impact Acceleration Account (GIAA) Impact Fund, Wellcome Trust, High Impact Research Grant, University of Malaya Research Grant, FRGS, E-science, LRGS, among others. The cumulative research funding she has obtained exceeds RM6 million. Additionally, she has obtained multiple intellectual property rights for her work on the rapid molecular diagnosis of dengue, malaria, and COVID-19. Professor Lau's commitment to mentoring and guiding students is evident through the successful completion of 13 master's and 20 PhD students' studies since 2009. Currently, she supervises 2 master's and 11 PhD students, further contributing to the education and development of future researchers in the field of parasitology. With her extensive background in grant management, she has held various administrative roles, such as Head of the Grant Management Unit in the Health and Translational Medicine Cluster and Faculty of Medicine. Additionally, she has served as a committee member for evaluating applications for FRGS, LRGR, and TRGS at both national and international levels. In 2017, she established the Science Café, which has become the primary platform for research communication between clinicians and scientists at the Faculty of Medicine. She has also been involved in multiple committees, including the University of Malaya Institutional Biosafety and Biosecurity Committee (IBBC), Animal Experimental Unit, Faculty of Medicine Risk and Quality Management, and has served as an internal auditor for the Faculty of Medicine. Currently, she holds the position of editor-in-chief for the Journal of Health and Translational Medicine (JUMMEC) at the University of Malaya, as well as editor for the Asia Pacific Journal of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology and associate editor for BMC Infectious Diseases. Her contributions to the scientific field have led her to become a regular reviewer for prestigious international journals, such as Nature Scientific Reports, Lancet, PLOS One, Parasites & Vectors, Malaria Journal, International Journal of Tropical Disease & Health, and others. Due to her extensive experience and reputation in the field of molecular parasitology, Professor Lau is highly sought after as a speaker and consultant both locally and internationally. She has actively participated in professional societies, such as the Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (MSPTM), where she served as a council member in 2018-2019, and the Malaysian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (MSBMB), where she held the position of Honorary Secretary in 2017-2019 and the President in 2019-2023. Professor Lau's passion for research is equaled by her dedication to teaching and education. In her classes, she not only ensures that her lectures are easy to understand but also strives to engage students by incorporating recent articles and real-life scenarios to demonstrate the practical relevance of the subject matter. Due to her enthusiasm for education, she volunteered to be the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Phase II coordinator in 2011 and later became the PBL main coordinator in 2018. Recently, she has been actively involved in organizing PBL training workshops for the UMMP program. Professor Lau has received several prestigious awards, including the MSMBB Best Scientist Award 2023, MTSF's Science & Technology Award for Year 2020, the University of Malaya Excellent Service Award three times in 2011, 2013, and 2015, and the MSPTM Nadchadtram Medal in 2014. She has also been recognized multiple times internationally and nationally for her innovative research, including winning the Grand Prize in the National Exclusive Innovation Challenge Award 2018 and Korea Creative Invention Contest 2018.

Dr. Zubaidah Ya’cob is a senior lecturer and researcher at 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. Her research expertise lies in entomology, with a specialization in public health vectors—particularly ticks, chiggers, sandflies, and blackflies—and associated diseases such as scrub typhus, rickettsioses, onchocerciasis, and leishmaniasis. She has published over 70 ISI-indexed articles in reputable journals including PLOS ONE, Scientific Reports, Acta Tropica, Insects, Journal of Medical Entomology, and Pathogens. Over the years, she has successfully secured a range of competitive research grants from both national and international funding bodies, 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 BBSRC (UK), she explored pathogen detection in Simulium black fly populations linked to Onchocerciasis transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. Her collaboration with the International Science Partnership Fund (UK) led to groundbreaking research on rodent genomics and the prevalence of Orientia bacteria in domestic poultry, shedding light on complex zoonotic transmission pathways. Domestically, she secured a Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) award to study black flies and their association with filarial parasites in Malaysia. With the support of the Institute of Research for Development (IRD), France, she investigated zoonotic disease risks associated with oil palm agriculture using a One Health approach. Additionally, her work with UMCARES has focused on community-based projects that bring vector-borne disease awareness to underserved populations, particularly primary schoolchildren and Orang Asli communities, bridging scientific research with meaningful public health impact. In recognition of her international collaborations and academic contributions, Dr. Zubaidah was appointed in 2025 as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Faculty of Infection and Microbiome, University of Liverpool, further strengthening her ties with global research institutions. Her research approach integrates field entomology, molecular diagnostics, and ecological data modeling, reflecting her capacity to lead multi-disciplinary, solution-oriented studies. Her future research aims to investigate genetic determinants of vector competence, ecological drivers of disease emergence, and innovative, ecologically sound control strategies. Dr. Zubaidah has consistently demonstrated excellence in teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. At the Faculty of Science, she teaches core first-year courses such as Biology of Organisms, Biostatistics, and Statistics, as well as the Research Methodology course at the Institute of Advanced Studies. Her pedagogy emphasizes active learning, scientific inquiry, and real-world relevance, nurturing students’ critical thinking and analytical skills from the outset of their academic journey. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she supervises a growing number of postgraduate students, including four PhD candidates (two graduated) and seven Master’s students (three graduated, four ongoing). Her mentorship emphasizes academic excellence and the development of professional competencies in research and community engagement. Dr. Zubaidah is an engaged academic citizen who contributes meaningfully to the university and broader public through science communication, policy engagement, and grassroots outreach. She has been featured on national platforms including TV1's Selamat Pagi Malaysia and Bernama TV, where she has provided expert commentary on the public health implications of vector-borne diseases, especially during flood seasons. In less than five years, her impactful work in underserved communities—delivering health education to Orang Asli families and B40 children—has earned institutional recognition, most notably the Universiti Malaya Excellence Award (ACUM) in 2023. Her ability to translate academic knowledge into accessible and actionable information has significantly enhanced the university’s profile in public health engagement and societal impact.