Dr Wong Kah Hui is an Associate Professor at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology (Honours with Distinction) in 2003, Master of Science (with distinction) in 2007 and Doctor of Philosophy in Human and Animal Physiology in 2011 from Universiti Malaya. She is currently the Academic Editor of PLOS ONE, Review Editor of Frontiers in Pharmacology (former Guest Associate Editor of Frontiers in Pharmacology), Editorial Board Member of BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, Guest Editor of Cells, Subeditor of Journal of Health and Translational Medicine (JUMMEC, Malaysia), Coordinator of Postgraduate Research Programme (Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya) and the life member of Malaysian Anatomical Association (MAA) (former treasurer of MAA, 2015-2021). She was honoured as Outstanding Anatomist (Research)–Established Career Category by MAA on 30 Aug 2023 for her remarkable contributions to anatomical sciences research. She has published 60 articles in Web of Science (WOS)-indexed journals with an H-index of 21 and total citations of 1222; and four book chapters. Her research focuses on using alternative medicines, in particular the culinary and medicinal mushrooms cultivated in Malaysia for neuroprotection and neuroregeneration in cellular and animal models. She is also engaged with Ganofarm R&D Sdn Bhd through the collaborative planning on Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Agreement; Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine University of Hong Kong as a Visiting Research Fellow; and Corielle Institute for Medical Research, New Jersey, USA to pursuit scientific research leading to treatments for hereditary ataxia, on Material Transfer Agreement. Alternative medicines have the advantages of non-invasive, cost-effective and no adverse reactions for patients which could eventually be a breakthrough in the treatment for hereditary ataxia. She aims to integrate Hericium erinaceus mushroom dietary supplement as a novel treatment strategy in clinical practice at the Traditional and Complementary Medicine units of Ministry of Health (MOH) hospitals and its future application in degenerative cerebellar ataxia and movement disorders. The above-mentioned areas are conducted by 7 PhD (3 former and 4 active) candidates who have always been enthusiastic about neuroscience research. A PhD thesis titled Protective Mechanisms of Hericium erinaceus (NevGro®) against Oxidative Stress in in vitro models of Friedreich’s ataxia and Depression was awarded Distinction for Thesis by the University on 27 September 2022.  As a team leader, her research group was granted with 11 awards (six gold, two special and two silver) at various international invention and innovation exhibitions with Managing Depression with NevGro® being the latest innovation that struck a silver medal at the recently held 35th International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition, ITEX 2024 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on 16-17 May 2024. She also won gold awards at the ITEX 2023 and 2024, Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE) 2020 and 2022, a gold medal at the Creation and Innovation, Technology & Research Exposition (CITREX) 2021, Platinum, Most Outstanding Academician and Gold awards at the Penang International Invention, Innovation and Design (PIID) 2019; a gold award at the Melaka International Intellectual Exposition (MIIEx) 2019, and a silver medal as a co-inventor at the Special Edition 2022-The Inventions Geneva Evaluation Days-Virtual Event). The achievements were featured on Rubrica News Bulletin (2022), The University of Hong Kong Media-Press Releases (2022), pulse@UM (2020-2022), Milestone@UM Newsletter (2019-2020), UM Research Bulletin (2019) and The Petri Dish (2018). Apart from research, dispensing high-quality teaching and professional education is the primary goal of any university. She teaches human anatomy to the MBBS, BDS, BBiomedSc and Postgraduate Basic/Clinical Teaching Programme students. Her teaching philosophy is to be passionate, enthusiastic and engaging. She was awarded the Best Preclinical Lecturer for MBBS-UMMP Programme of Universiti Malaya in 2017 and 2019. As for the medical education research, her team comprising of fellow colleagues of Department of Anatomy, and Medical Education Research and Development Unit (MERDU) of the Faculty of Medicine won a silver award for a project titled “Bridging The Gap in The Knowledge of Anatomy as a Doctor Journeys Through The Postgraduate Medical Training” at the Learning Innovation and Teaching Enhancement Research Conference 2017 (UM-LiTeR 2017) and a bronze award for a project titled “Practical Guide to Facilitate Problem-Based Learning Among Novice Medical Students: Eight Top Tips” at the kNOVASI 2020 Teaching and Learning Congress and Innovation Competition. She represented Universiti Malaya to present a status report of Anatomy Resource Centre (ARC) of Faculty of Medicine at the Committee of Museums and Galleries for Malaysian Public Universities (MyMUSE) Conference and Exhibition in 2019 showcasing the anatomical specimens, its primary function in medical education and future development. She was appointed as the Advisor and one of the trainers by the Faculty of Medicine and Medical Society (MEDSOC) of Universiti Malaya to facilitate the selected Stage 1&2 MBBS students in the preparation for various national competitions including the Intervarsity Medical Quiz Challenge (IMQC) and Intervarsity Medical Olympiad (IVMO). In the 10th edition of IMVO held in 2021, the students secured first and second positions in the individual and group categories, defeating 16 public and private universities in Malaysia.

Dr. Nur Afiqah's research examines institutional-related structures associated with engagement in healthcare, including HIV and Hepatitis C care for people who use drugs (PWUD). This epidemiological work is informed by sociological perspectives which frame the research questions within a wider social, economic and policy environment. Additionally, she has received training in Implementation Science at Yale University.  Being an active member of the Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS (CERiA), her current research activities have incorporated a community-based participiatory research (CBPR) component. Using this approach, she engages with local communities of PWUD and NGOs that serve these populations, whose collective views in the design and implementation of health programs are key in developing effective interventions. Additionally, she is actively involved in knowledge-transfer activities, promoting the use of evidence-based practices in real-life settings. She is also interested in drug policies, especially the impact of existing policies on youths and families.  Dr Nur Afiqah is a consultant for WHO, UNDP and International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC). She currently serves as the Vice President at the Malaysian AIDS Council.   

Farid Wajdi Akashah is an Associate Professor at the Department of Building Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya, and a Senior Consultant at UPUM Sdn Bhd, specializing in fire safety, and building condition evaluations. In 2024, he was appointed as a Visiting Professor at the School of Architecture, Universidad de Navarra, Spain. He holds a Bachelor of Building Surveying from Universiti Malaya and a Ph.D. in Fire Safety Engineering from Ulster University. With over RM662,200 in research grants, his work has influenced fire safety policies, building codes, and risk mitigation strategies. He serves as one of Malaysia’s Representatives to ISO/TC 92/SC 4 Fire Safety Engineering and is a committee member for the National Standards Committee on Fire Safety and the Technical Committee on Passive Fire Safety Design under the Department of Standards Malaysia, contributing to both national and international fire safety standards. A lifetime member of IAFSS and MyRBS, he also serves on the UN-backed International Fire Safety Standards (IFSS) Coalition, supporting the Decade of Action for Fire Safety. A Registered Building Surveyor, MyCREST Qualified Professional, and certified Thermographer and NDT-UT Level I, he has led fire risk management, regulatory compliance audits, and building condition evaluations for projects exceeding RM6.88 million. Recognized with the Malaysian Young Building Surveyor Award (2016) and multiple Excellent Service Awards, he continues to advance fire safety, risk management, and regulatory improvements globally.