Dr. Issa Khan joined in 2015 at the Department of Shariah and Management, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya as a Senior Lecturer after completing his Ph.D. in Takaful (Islamic Insurance) with Bright Sparks Scholarship from the University. He was also awarded an amount of money for completing this degree within three to four years. Prior he had been awarded the University of Malaya Fellowship for the Master's Programme in Islamic Financial Transactions.   In 2014,  he received Bronze Medal Award from APIUM Academic Open Week (Minggu Terbuka Akademik) and the Best Paper Award from Islamic Finance and Property Research Seminar (Seminar Penyelidikan Kewangan Dan Kehartaan Islam), the University of Malaya in 2013.  Moreover, he achieved his B.A.(Hon’s) degree in Islamic Studies and Da’wah from Darul Ihsan University, Bangladesh. Earlier, he completed Takmil (Dawra Hadith) in Hadith from Jamiyah Arabiyah Makzanul Ulum, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.    

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.

Khoo Ying Hooi, PhD, is an Associate Professor of International Relations and Human Rights at Universiti Malaya (UM). Her research centres on human rights and democracy in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on civil society, Southeast Asian politics, and the domestic politics of Malaysia and Timor-Leste. She also examines how the geopolitics of Southeast Asia shapes domestic political developments, rights discourses, civic spaces, and institutional contestations. In addition, she works extensively on human rights education and academic freedom. She is the author of “The Bersih Movement and Democratisation in Malaysia” (SIRD/ ISEAS/ Lexington Books, 2020) and “Seeds of Dissent (Gerakbudaya, 2015). Furthermore, Ying Hooi has also co-edited several volumes, such as “Social and Political Deglobalisation: Covid-19, Conflict and Uncertainties in Malaysia (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023), “Marginalisation and Human Rights in Southeast Asia” (Routledge, 2022) and “Rethinking Human Rights and Peace in the Post-Independence Timor-Leste through Local Perspectives” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022). Her co-author paper (with C. Leong, I. Faik, F. Tan and B. Tan, 2020), “Digital organising of a global social movement: from connective to collective action," won the 2021 Best Paper Award at the Information and Organization and was Runner-Up in the 2021 Special Interest Group-Grounded Theory Methodology (SIG-GTM).  Ying Hooi is the Editor-in-Chief of the Malaysian Journal of International Relations (MJIR) and sits on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, the Journal of Southeast Asian Human Rights (JSEAHR), and the Indonesian Law Review (ILREV).  Ying Hooi has been appointed to the International Advisory Council by the Timor-Leste government for Centro Nacional Chega! (CNC), a public institute tasked to institutionalise memory and promote human rights. She is also a founding member of the Southeast Asian Coalition for Academic Freedom (SEA-CAF). She received several fellowships, including the Mellon/ SAR Academic Freedom Fellowship by Scholars at Risk (SAR), the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC) Curriculum Fellowship, and visiting fellowships at Kyushu University, Mahidol University, Humboldt University of Berlin and Beijing Foreign Studies University. She has served as a judge in several local and international human rights awards, including the Amnesty International Philippines Ignite Awards and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) Human Rights Awards. Between 2013 and 2016, Ying Hooi was involved in the diplomatic training course for the Institute of Diplomatic Studies (IDS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in Timor-Leste. Additionally, she has contributed to consultancies for organisations like the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), the Democracy Academy of Malaysia, and Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Research and Education in Southeast Asia (SHAPE-SEA). In addition to her academic roles, Ying Hooi has extensive experience in the field of human rights and democracy in Southeast Asia. These roles include serving as a Scientific Member in the Observatory of Political Alternatives in Southeast Asia (ALTERSEA), Vice-Chair in the Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (PROHAM), and Board Member in the Innovation of Change - East Asia Governance Circle (EAGC). Before entering academia, Ying Hooi garnered experience in corporate sectors and served as the Head of International Issues and Cooperation at the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM). Her involvements include the ASEAN human rights body (now AICHR) in the ASEAN Charter, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Malaysia in Geneva and the SUHAKAM Amendment Bill 2009.