Gulfaraz Khan is professor of viral pathology and former Chair of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University. He received his undergraduate and postgraduate training in London (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College). He did his postdoctoral training in the Laboratory of the late Prof David Thorley-Lawson at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, followed by senior postdoctoral fellowship in the Laboratory of Prof Ruth Jarrett at LRF Virus Centre, University of Glasgow, UK. He is Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (UK) and has held faculty positions in universities in UK before moving to his current post in UAE. He has extensive experience in teaching and supervising undergraduate and post graduate students. In recognition of his teaching, he received the UAEU College of Medicine and Health Sciences Teaching Award on two separate occasions (2013 & 2017).

Prof Khan’s research interests are in viral pathology, virology and viral infections of public health concern. He has published over 120 articles in peer‐reviewed international journals (Google Scholar: H‐ index: 57, i10‐index: 99, total number of citations: over 60,000). He has also written 1 book and 9 book chapters (including the 4 volume Encyclopedia of Infection and Immunity, published by Elsevier in 2022). Additionally, his research has led to one US Patent.

In recognition of his research, Dr Khan has received a numerous awards, including the UAEU College of Medicine and Health Sciences Award for Excellence in Research (2013 & 2017), University Award for Excellence in Scholarship (2017), Outstanding Service Award During COVID-19 (2020) and several certificates of achievement for publishing in top 1%, 5% and 10% journals. In 2017, Dr Khan was a nominee for the UAE Prime Minister’s Medal for Scientific Excellence, and recently (2021), he was listed in Stanford’s Top 2% Scientists in the World (in two separate categories) for the past 3 years. Dr Khan serves on various national and international committees, including: UAE National Immunization Technical Advisory Group, UAE National COVID-19 Research Committee, and the Sheikh Hamdan Scientific Awards Committee. At the international level, he is member of the MENA Regional Advisory Board for US NIH-NIAID, and member of the editorial board of several journals, including PloS One and Virology Journal.

Graduated from Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Ph.D. in Akdeniz University School of Medicine worked in Universita Degli Studi di Siena in Italy and currently works as a lecturer in Bahçesehir University. His research interests are based on neuroanatomy, neurochemical anatomy, dissection based cadaver studies, cadaver dissection, skull base, skull, bones. He is also involved in teaching master and doctorate students in the field of Neuroscience PhD.

He graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine (Eng) in 2008. He completed his PhD in Medical Physiology at Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology in 2018. He has been working as a faculty member at Gaziantep Islamic University of Science and Technology, Department of Physiology since 2019. His main research areas are Alzheimer's Disease, exercise and electrocardiography.

Academic Experience: Yalova University Lecturer (2012-2015)

Dr. Alper Durmaz was born on May 18, 1990, in Istanbul. He embarked on his academic career in the field of biology, specializing in plant ecology, systematic botany, biochemistry, and medicinal-aromatic plants. He completed his undergraduate studies in Biology Education at Ondokuz Mayıs University, followed by an associate degree in Medical Imaging Techniques at the same institution. Continuing his academic trajectory, he obtained both his master’s and doctoral degrees from the Institute of Science, where he conducted research on the ecological characteristics of *Aristolochia samsunensis* for his master's thesis and investigated the influence of edaphic factors on the zonation of halophytic vegetation in the Yeşilırmak Delta for his doctoral dissertation.

Currently, Dr. Durmaz is a postdoctoral researcher at the Ali Nihat Gökyiğit Application and Research Center at Artvin Çoruh University. His research primarily focuses on plant ecology, plant systematics, biochemistry, and medicinal-aromatic plants. His work emphasizes halophytic plant communities, chemical profiling of medicinal plants, and biotechnological applications related to plant-based bioactive compounds. Additionally, he is involved in studies exploring the ecological implications of plant communities in the context of agricultural sustainability and environmental conservation.

Dr. Durmaz has contributed as a researcher to several national and international projects. Notably, he plays a key role in the project “Establishment of a Processing and Storage Facility for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Artvin,” where he investigates the processing and preservation of medicinal plants. Furthermore, within the framework of European COST actions, he is engaged in research concerning the integration of medicinal plants into veterinary medicine and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. His scientific endeavors include biochemical analyses and molecular biology approaches to assess the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and biological properties of various plant species.