Allan Xavier Pernudy Ubau is a professor of hematology. Until 2018 he was teaching at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN), and was the director of the laboratory for molecular biology at the Polytechnic Institute of Health, UNAN-Managua. He started his career at UNAN where he earned his BSc degree in clinical bio-analysis (2002). Then he obtained an MSc in hematology, from the University of Costa Rica (2008). He expanded his academic education in Germany, studying leukemogenesis, and earned his PhD from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), in 2013. Both his Master and PhD studies were financed by scholarships (German Academic Exchange Service - DAAD). Back home, he established the first molecular biology laboratory on leukaemia and anemia diagnosis at UNAN-Managua. He started a successful collaboration with an international pharmaceutical company resulting in free-treatment access for patients in Nicaragua. He is a member of the Caribbean Network of Researchers on Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia, and the recipient of awards and honours including a three-month Visitor Training Program, with the American Society of Hematology (2015).

Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui earned her BSc (Hons), MRes and PhD at the University of London, UK. After years of research at Nottingham, Aga Khan and Sunway University, she was appointed as a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Malaysia. She successfully completed the supervision of several graduate students, obtaining significant grant income. Because of her high research productivity, she has received several awards in UK, Pakistan and Malaysia. She investigates pathogen virulence determinants and host factors that contribute to microbial infections, to identify potential therapeutic targets. She is also studying how neuropathogens invade the brain to produce disease, exploring mechanisms of how certain species such as crocodiles and water monitor lizards are able to ward off diseases. Her studies are attentive to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with anti-tumour molecules and developing compounds from novel sources, such as crocodiles, that live in polluted environments. The aim is to identify and characterize novel anti-tumour molecules from crocodiles and other rare sources.

Dauqan earned her PhD in biochemistry at the School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM (2012), sponsored by the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), Italy. Dauqan was appointed as a Post-doc. at the School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, UKM. Her main research interest is in biochemistry, food antioxidants and nutrition. In 2014 she received the Elsevier Foundation Award for Early Career Women Scientists in the Developing World, and the Yemeni Capital of Culture Shield and Honorary Certificate, from the Governor of Taiz City. Again in 2014 she was elected as the president of Yemeni Women Association for Science and Technology for Development, Taiz Branch (National Chapter of OWSD). 2014 Dauqan established the Therapeutic Nutrition department in SU. 2016 She was appointed as visiting scholar in UKM, Malaysia sponsored by IIE SRF. Then Dauqan was appointed as an associate professor at University of Agder, Norway through the Scholar at Risk Network, USA (2018). In November 2019, she won the UiA bridge cultural builder award for 2019. Currently, she is working in University of Oslo in Norway through SAR as well.