Dr. Jamilah Syafawati Yaacob completed her B.Sc (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology & Biotechnology) from University of Melbourne, Australia in 2007, and her M.Sc (Crop Biotechnology) from University of Nottingham (Malaysia campus) in 2009. She received her PhD in Biotechnology from University of Malaya in 2013 and was one of the recipients of the University of Malaya Excellence Awards in 2014 for completing her PhD in less than 4 years. In 2010, during her PhD candidature, she had also won a Gold Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Biosciences & Biotechnology during University of Malaya Innovation and Creativity Expo. After successfully completing her PhD, she then joined the Institute of Biological Sciences at the Faculty of Science, University of Malaya as a Senior Lecturer. Since then, she has taught and coordinated various undergraduate courses such as Biology of Organisms, Genetic Engineering in Animals and Plants, Cell and Tissue Culture and Higher Plant Physiology. At the postgraduate level, she has also helped in teaching Research Methodology, a compulsory course upon entry into postgraduate studies at the department. Since her employment as an Academic, she has served the department and University in various administrative duties, such as the programme coordinator for Bachelor of Science with Education (ISB), BSc in Biotechnology, academic advisor, final year project coordinator and many more. Her current research interest is on manipulation of plant tissue culture system for biotechnological applications, with special emphasis on stress-induced plant secondary metabolites and proteins for medicinal applications and sustainable production of functional food colorants. Her present research works include projects on understanding and manipulating plant’s response towards abiotic stress for over-expression of valuable bioactive compounds, such as in Azadirachta indica (neem). The regulation of proteins involved in the biosynthesis of these bioactive compounds or secondary metabolites are analyzed through proteomics-based approach, to allow for a better understanding of the biosynthesis pathways that has been affected. In addition to that, she is also working on the epigenetics aspect of plant phenotypic plasticity, to understand the epigenetic regulation (with focus on histone modification) in DNA repair and somaclonal variation. In recognition of her work and scientific achievements, she has won several awards such as a Gold Medal at International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (ITEX) in 2013 and a Bronze Medal at Bioinnovation Awards/BioMalaysia & Bioeconomy Asia Pacific 2013. Other than that, she is also actively participating in the scientific community and the public by taking on various roles as a judge or jury in scientific competitions and innovation programs at national and secondary school levels. These include her role as a judge for Malaysian Agricultural Invention Show (MAgIS) competition organized by Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry in 2016, and judge for science videos and scientific poem recitation competitions organized by Ministry of Education in 2017-2018, among others. Professionally, she was also one of the representatives in the working group for pineapple planting material for preparation of Malaysian Standard (organized by SIRIM Malaysia) in 2018. Outside of work and research, she also loves to join various events that promote sustainability and green environment.

Dr. Saturveithan Chandirasegaran is an Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon at Universiti Malaya, with a comprehensive clinical, academic, and research footprint in the field of spine surgery. He completed MBBS (UM) in 2011, followed by Master of Orthopaedic Surgery (UM) in 2020, where he graduated as the Top Student of Universiti Malaya. He subsequently pursued subspecialty training through Fellowship in Spine Surgery at UMMC (Malaysia) and the National University Hospital (Singapore), gaining expertise in complex spine disorders and advanced surgical techniques. He is an active contributor to the regional spine community and a committed member of several professional bodies, including AO Spine, Asia Pacific Spine Society (APSS) as a Life Member, Malaysian Spine Society (MSS), and the Malaysian Orthopaedic Association (MOA). He has received multiple international awards in recognition of his clinical research in spine surgery. His recent accolades include the English Presentation Award Gold Prize 2025 from the Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research, as well as the Presidential Best Research Award at the International Malaysian Spine Society Scientific Congress for 2 consecutive years, 2023 and 2024. He has been regularly invited as a speaker at major scientific meetings, including the AO Spine Asia Pacific International Spine Conference. As an academician, Dr. Saturveithan has authored over 15 publications in leading ISI-indexed spine journals and continues to be actively involved in clinical and translational spine research.

Mohamad Suffian bin Mohamad Annuar is a leading researcher in bioprocess technology and advanced biomaterials, with a particular focus on medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHA) derived from bacterial fermentation of local renewable resources. These mcl-PHA are prized for their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and versatile properties, making them ideal for a wide range of applications. His research group has pioneered the development of mcl-PHA-based hydrogels, which exhibit exceptional water absorption and mechanical strength, making them suitable for tissue engineering and controlled drug delivery systems. His team has also explored the use of mcl-PHA in creating bone scaffolds that support cell growth and closely mimic natural bone structures. Furthermore, they have advanced the field by developing mcl-PHA nanoparticles, which hold significant potential for targeted drug delivery and biomedical imaging applications. Additionally, their investigations into mcl-PHA-based composites and blends have shown promise for renewable energy and water purification applications. With a research approach that balances fundamental and applied aspects, his research group contributes over 120 publications in reputable scientific journals. He has successfully supervised 17 Ph.D. and 35 Master's projects to completion. His laboratory, known for its multi-disciplinary scientific approach, has secured research funding in excess of MYR 4 million through its own projects and collaborative efforts, and continues to welcome and foster multi-disciplinary scientific collaborations.