Ammar Saleh Abdullah Omar is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Thamar University, Dhamar City, Yemen. He earned an MSc (2008) and a PhD (2019) in molecular histopathology, both from the University of Al- Neelain, Sudan. Ammar S.A. Omar has considerable experience as a lecturer: from 2009-2012 he lectured at Arwa Queen University, in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, and at Al-Yemenia University, in the Faculty of Health Science. At the same time, and until 2014 he lectured - among others - at Al-Hekmai University, Al-Saeeda University and Thamar University. From 2011 until 2014 he was the head of the medical laboratory department, Al-Nasser University. He has participated in several conferences and workshops in molecular biology, stem cells and regenerative medicine and breast cancer management. He co-authored several scientific papers, including one on the detection of 57 novel mutations in breast cancer-causing genes.

Hamdan Z.H. Abualbasher is an associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Faculty of Medicine, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan. He earned his MSc in medical biochemistry from Khartoum University, Faculty of Medicine (2010) and his PhD in biochemistry from Al-Neelain University, Faculty of Medicine (2015). Since 2016 he has been working in the group of tropical diseases - tuberculosis, at the Neelain Institute for Medical Research, and is also a co-editor in chief of the Al-Neelain Medical Journal. For the outstanding quality of his research he has received the Al-Neelain Youth Award for Excellence in Scientific Research (2017). He has authored more than 20 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, two book chapters, and has supervised several master students.

Lamya Al-Haj is an assistant professor at Sultan Qaboos University, with a PhD in molecular biology from University College London (2014), and an MSc in environmental science and technology from the University of New South Wales (Australia), in 2006, where she received the Boban Marcovic Prize in Environmental Science. Her research is focused on the production of biofuels and HVP’s from microorganisms using genetic engineering tools and production of biodiesel from waste date seeds. She is the recipient of national and international awards: the Sultan Qaboos University's award for outstanding scientific contribution, and the Al Mara award for Innovation and Technology, 2019. At the international level she is the recipient of the Gulf Intelligence-Occidental award 2016, L’Oréal UNESCO award for women in science-Middle East fellowship award (2018) and most recently the Young Global Leader 2020 award from the World Economic Forum. Al-Haj aspires to promote STEM education, R&D and youth development initiatives in the Arab world creating positive change. In past years she has delivered numerous scientific, inspirational and motivations talks targeted to the Arab youth and women.

Saja A. Fakhraldeen earned her MS (2011) and PhD (2015) in cancer biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA) and her BS (2009) in biological engineering from MIT. Since May 2017, she has been working as a research scientist at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), where she investigates bioactive properties of compounds isolated from Kuwait’s marine environment. She is currently working on generating the first metagenomic profile of marine microorganisms in Kuwait Bay, and on establishing the first mammalian cell culture and imaging facilities at KISR. Other interests that she is pursuing at KISR include wastewater epidemiology. In this field, she has coordinated routine shipment of urban sewage samples to Denmark as part of Kuwait’s participation in the Global Sewage Surveillance Program. She has also collaboratively developed a protocol for viral analysis of urban sewage samples. As of 2019, Fakhraldeen is a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) and a member of Sigma Xi – The Scientific Research Honor Society. She was also rewarded with the 2018 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science regional fellowship.

Hiba El Hajj is an associate professor with tenure at the Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut. Her main research interests include molecular oncology and molecular parasitology. In oncology, her research focuses on targeted therapies on oncoprotein degradation in human hematological malignancies using two models: the Nucleophosmin-1 mutated AML, and the human T cell lymphotropic virus type I- induced adult T cell leukemia. In parasitology, she is exploring innovative prevention and treatment strategies using immunomodulatory drugs against toxoplasmosis and cutaneous leishmaniasis. She co-authored so far 46 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Her awards include: Prix d’Excellence Scientifique Franco-Libanais de la Société des Membres de la Légion d’Honneur; 2016 Rising Talents L’Oréal UNESCO for Women In Science Award; and the 2015 L’Oréal UNESCO For Women In Science Levant And Egypt Fellowship. She attracted both intramural AUB funding mostly, as well as extramural funding including CNRS-L, CNRS-Montpellier, AUB-CNRS, Cèdre funds as well as the “L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science” Awards.