PROF. DR. CHUA KEK HENG

Professor Dr. Chua Kek Heng is an accomplished senior professor and Head of the Department of Biomedical Science at the University of Malaya. His research expertise spans a broad range of topics including disease polymorphism, mutation investigation, bacterial virulence factor characterization, and diagnostic kit development. Professor Chua's commitment and hard work have led to over 200 original publications, making significant contributions to science and technology. His research has not only led to novel scientific innovations but has also improved our understanding of human disease and its associations with genetic factors and microorganisms. As a mentor and educator, Professor Chua is dedicated to training and preparing his younger staff, colleagues, and students to excel in biological research, building the next generation of scientific leaders. One of Professor Chua's significant achievements is his contribution to the study of genotyping of diseases, which has resulted in the successful mapping of important disease-predisposing markers for systemic lupus erythematosus, Crohn’s disease, and retinopathy in the Malaysian population. These findings have helped predict disease development and allow for early preventive measures. His research has also led to the development of innovative approaches, tests, and kits that allow for more cost-effective, rapid, sensitive, and specific detection and confirmation of human diseases and microbial infections. Professor Chua's efforts have been recognized at the national and international levels, with over 1500 intellectual properties, including national and international patents, trademarks, and copyrights. One of his most successful inventions is the PlasmoNex diagnostic kit for malaria, which was developed in 2011. This kit is the world's first PCR-based malaria detection system that can detect all five different species of Plasmodium (malaria parasites) in a single test. In addition to his research accomplishments, Professor Chua is also an active member of several national committees and panels, evaluating numerous grants and projects, and organizing national and international workshops to train young Malaysian researchers in molecular "bench" skills. He has delivered over a hundred presentations at various seminars, expositions, and conferences and has acted as a reviewer for many ISI (WOS) publications and international grants in his field. Professor Chua has represented the University of Malaya in numerous national and international exhibitions and competitions, receiving over 100 prestigious national and international awards, including the MTSF Science and Technology Award 2022, Biotechnology Asia Award 2005, Best Invention in Biotechnology Award 2006, USA INPEX Grand Prix Award 2008, National Intellectual Property Award 2013, World Halal Excellent Innovation Award 2013, and Top Research Scientist Malaysia 2017. He has also received recognition for his contributions to academic service and teaching, including the Excellent Lecturer Award in 2014 and Best Lecturer for Biomedical Science Teaching 2017. Overall, Professor Chua's tireless dedication to scientific research, mentorship, and innovation has resulted in significant advancements in disease detection and prevention, making him an outstanding scientist and an inspiration to the scientific community.

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DR. WAN SAFWANI BINTI WAN KAMARUL ZAMAN

  Dr Wan Safwani Binti Wan Kamarul Zaman is currently a senior lecturer at the Department of Pharmaceutical Life Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Malaya. She received Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) from the University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom in 2003. After which she returned to Malaysia to complete the pharmacy provisional training at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) from 2004 to 2005, as per requirement of the Pharmacy Board of Malaysia. She became a registered pharmacist in August 2005. In 2006, she received her MSc in Immunopharmacology, also from the University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom. In 2008, she was awarded the National Science Fellowship (NSF) from the Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysia allowing her to pursue and complete her PhD in 2012 at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University of Malaysia). She was also awarded the Hadiah Khalid Kadir for best postgraduate student in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia during the graduation ceremony.   Dr Wan Safwani has contributed substantially in terms of publication and as a reviewer for various journals. Her research interest is in stem cells technology, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. She has published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles including articles published in Scientific Reports, American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology and PLOS One. She currently has a h-index of 19 with more than 1000 citations. She also supervises postgraduate students, both PhDs and Masters working on various collaborative projects involving stem cell biology, sustainable materials for tissue engineering, non-invasive cellular monitoring system and machine learning application in stem cell research. She is a member of the Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS) and currently serves as the President of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Society of Malaysia (TESMA). Outside of research and teaching, she is the co-Founder of the Let's Go to Mummies Lab program, which aims to promote STEM education to young children as part of community outreach program.    

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DR. MOHD NUR ASHRAF BIN MOHD YUSOFF

Dr. Mohd Nur Ashraf bin Mohd Yusoff is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Malaya. He holds Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (2014), Master of Engineering Science (M.Eng.Sc) (2018), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Energy (2024), all from Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. Dr. Ashraf specializes in fuel engineering and tribology, with a primary research focus on sustainable fuel technologies for internal combustion engines. His work explores alternative fuels, biofuel applications, and tribological performance enhancements, contributing to the advancement of clean energy solutions. During his studies, he has actively worked with industry leaders, including the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and DUCOM India, engaging in research on biofuels, fuel tribology, and lubricant performance optimization. His research findings have been published in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals, reflecting his commitment to academic excellence and scientific contributions in the field of sustainable energy and transportation. Dr. Ashraf remains dedicated to interdisciplinary research, industry engagement, and the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students, aligning his work with global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency in combustion technologies.

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