Mellissa Withers, PhD, MHS is Professor at the Keck School of Medicine in the Department of Preventive Medicine. She is based at the University of Southern California Institute on Inequalities in Global Health. She also is also Director of the Global Health Program of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, a non-profit network of 56 universities. She received a PhD from the Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health with a minor in cultural anthropology. She also holds a Master’s in International Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a BA in international development from UC Berkeley. Her research interests lie in community participatory research, mental health, gender-based violence, immigrant health, and global sexual and reproductive health. Dr Withers is the editor of two books: Global Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health Across the Lifecourse, and Global Health Leadership: Case Studies from the Asia-Pacific (in press). She has also published more than 40 scientific articles and serves on the editorial boards of six international global health journals. She also writes a blog on human trafficking titled Modern-Day Slavery for Psychology Today.

Jonathan R. Guillemot, MA, MSc, PhD is a professor and researcher in gerontology at Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador. He currently acts as Associate Dean of the School of Medicine, in charge of research and administrative affairs. He is also Director of the Institute for Social Medicine & Global Challenges. Guillemot’s research interests include the sociology of ageing and research pedagogy, using qualitative approaches, with particular focus on semi-structured interviews and Delphi panels. He is especially fond of collaborating with students on their first encounter with research, with one recent paper encapsulating such interest: Medical education from the point of view of medical students: Results from four participatory Delphi panels in Quito. Guillemot graduated from Université de Lille (Sciences Po Lille) in political sociology and from King’s College London in gerontology and completed his PhD in global health, social medicine and gerontology.

Laurence Lloyd B. Parial, PhD is an Assistant Professor under the Adult Health Nursing Specialty Group of the University of the Philippines Manila College of Nursing. He obtained his Doctor of Philosophy degree as a full government scholar from the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where he graduated with the Faculty Distinguished Thesis Award. He also received the Gerontological Nursing Excellence Doctoral Award from the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE) in the US, in line with his research contributions to the care of older persons and vulnerable populations. His research areas include gerontology, health literacy, and public health, publishing various research designs in both local and international journals.

Hiroki Nakatani, MD, MHPEd, PhD, is Advisor, International Affairs, at the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, in Japan. He is also a Professor of Global Initiatives at Keio University; and a specially Appointed Professor for Global Health & Innovation, at Osaka University.  He served the WHO Headquarters twice. From April 1988 to March 1993, he was a Policy Analyst in the Department of Human Resources for Health. From March 2007 to May 2015, he served as Assistant Director-General of WHO, leading the largest technical cluster of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, and Neglected Tropical Diseases. He has been a veteran public health specialist for over 40 years who started his career at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan. He worked extensively in the area of health policy, public health, international health, and health science and technology. His national career includes serving as Director-General of Welfare and Health Services in Hiroshima Prefecture, where he was in charge of integrating health and welfare services in preparation for the arrival of a rapidly ageing society.

Andrew Sixsmith, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Gerontology at Simon Fraser University and is Director of the Science and Technology for Aging Research (STAR) Institute at Simon Fraser University. He was the Scientific Director of AGE-WELL Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE) between 2015-2020 and the Associate Scientific Director between 2020-2022. He is now an AGE-WELL Network Advisor. Dr. Sixsmith was past President of the International Society of Gerontechnology from 2014-16 and was previously Director of the Gerontology Research Centre and Deputy Director of the IRMACS Centre at SFU. His research interests include technology for independent living, theories and methods in aging and understanding the innovation process. His work has involved him in a leadership and advisory role in numerous major international research projects and initiatives with academic, government and industry partners. He received his doctorate from the University of London and was previously a lecturer at the University of Liverpool in the Institute of Human Ageing and Department of Primary Care.

Zhaoli (Joy) Dai-Keller, PhD, MS, MA is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the School of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, and a full-time Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at the School of Population Health, UNSW. As a passionate nutritional epidemiologist, Joy is dedicated to promoting sustainable diets and nutrition to support healthy aging and longevity, especially among older adults from diverse backgrounds. She has led multiple projects using population-based cohorts, nationally representative survey data, and electronic health records in Singapore, the US, and Australia to study dietary factors and other modifiable risk factors for the development and management of chronic diseases, including hip fractures, osteoarthritis and pain, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and mental health.

Po-Ju Chang, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at National Taiwan University and leads the Healthy Urban Greenspace Lab (HUG). Her work examines how neighborhood parkmental well-being, and mobility. She integrates environmental psychology with spatial analytics (GIS), Google Street View–based diagnostics, and AI-enabled image segmentation to develop actionable design and policy guidance. Recent projects include park-edge design for restorative experience, age-friendly spatial assessments, and VR-supported slow-jogging interventions for older adults.

Prof. Angelique Chan holds joint tenure appointments as Associate Professor in the Signature Programme in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, and in the Department of Sociology at the National University of Singapore.

Chan currently serves as the Senior Advisor of the Centre for Ageing Research and Education at Duke-NUS Medical School. She is also Director of the Tsao Foundation Ageing Research Initiative which is housed within the Department of Sociology. Chan has developed and nurtured a strong research portfolio in ageing research. This portfolio contains projects that are multidisciplinary and focus on the following themes: the social determinants of health, caregiving, long term care, dementia, and the evaluation of programmes providing health and community social services to the older adult community. She has led several major projects on ageing in Singapore including large-scale longitudinal national surveys which have led to recommendations in policy research and public policy making. Her work has been published in over 150 journal publications and she has co-edited 3 books related to low fertility (internationally) and population ageing in Singapore. She is extensively involved in international work related to ageing and health of older adults. She is currently Chair of the International Alliance of Research Universities Ageing, Longevity and Health Hub. She currently works with colleagues from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. She has worked as an international expert for the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the United Nations.

Melanie Stowell is a PhD candidate and Scholar at the Centre for Co-created Ageing Research (CCREATE-AGE) at The University of Auckland. Her research focuses on the development of age-friendly digital technology to improve mental wellbeing outcomes for older adults in Aotearoa New Zealand. With over nine years’ experience in research project coordination across the US, UK and Aotearoa New Zealand, Melanie brings expertise in qualitative research, participatory methods, evidence synthesis, and trauma informed practices to her work.

Catherine Zhou, PhD is a Teaching Associate at the Office of the Dean of Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Prior to this she worked at the Centre for Learning Enhancement And Research at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She has a PhD degree in computer science and engineering and currently focuses on research postgraduate (RPg) student education. Her teaching and research interests include research integrity and ethics and RPg students’ mental health. She is in charge of the RPg student professional development program within the School of Engineering. She is interested in student-centered teaching and learning and e-learning.

Nina T. Castillo-Carandang, MA, MSc, PhD is a professor of health sociology and global health; and is the Chair of the Department of Clinical Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila (UPM). Professor Castillo-Carandang also has academic qualifications in clinical epidemiology and health social science. She is an active researcher on Kagalingan (wellbeing), and the sociocultural dimensions of health and health care; ageing, and is also a member of the UPM Research Ethics Board.

Erlinda Castro Palaganas, PhD is an internationally esteemed nurse leader, researcher, and academician. A pioneer in qualitative nursing research and a multi-awarded health research mentor, she founded the Philippine Nursing Research Society, Inc. and the Cordillera Center for Research and Health Concerns. She currently serves as Vice President for External Affairs of the Philippine Association of Medical Journal Editors and Executive Vice President of the Asia Pacific Association of Medical Editors. She is a member of the Philippine Nurses Association Council of Leaders and the Editor-in-Chief of the Philippine Journal of Nursing, a Scopus and WHO-WPRIM indexed publication. Her lifelong commitment to nursing is grounded in public service, advocacy, and social justice, embodying her role as a true “people’s nurse.” In recognition of her contributions to the development of the nursing education, research, health and human rights, she was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (2021) and awarded the prestigious international Princess Srinagarindra Award in 2022.

King L Chow, PhD, is a Professor of Life Science, Chem. & Biol.  Engineering, Public Policy. He served as the Director of Interdisciplinary Programs Office overseeing Environment and Sustainability, Public Policy, Risk Management, Technology Management, Integrative System & Design, and innovation programs on campus. He now heads the Dean of Students Office supporting various student-oriented schemes and student development programs beyond academic issues. While his research focuses on genetics, development, evolution and synthetic biology, he has been engaging in broad pedagogical initiatives and curricular development projects promoting interdisciplinary education at the juncture cutting across science, engineering, social science and humanity at high school, undergraduate and graduate levels.  He was winner of the inaugural School of Science Teaching Award and the Michael G. Gale Medal of distinguished teaching at HKUST.  He serves on the Board of Directors of the iGEM Foundation and as a council member of Global Future Council, World Economic Forum.

Noran Hairi, MBBS, MPH, PhD, is Deputy Dean (Research) and Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya (UM). She is a medical doctor and public health expert with MPH, Masters of Epidemiology and PhD degrees from UM and The University of Sydney. Renowned for her pioneering research on ageing issues, particularly sarcopenia, frailty, and abuse of older adults, she leads the Prevent Elder Abuse and Neglect Initiative (PEACE), which has influenced national policies and collaborations with agencies like AKPK, Bank Negara Malaysia and the World Health Organization. During COVID-19, she spearheaded science communication efforts to combat misinformation. A prolific researcher and mentor to over 80 postgraduate students, she has held multiple leadership positions, including Dean of Health and Wellbeing Research Cluster, and Head of research centres – Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence Based Practice and Julius Centre University Malaya. As a member of Malaysia’s National Senior Citizens Advisory Council and Fellow of the UK Faculty of Public Health, Dr. Noran continues to advance ageing research, promote elder protection, and foster inclusive, evidence-based public health policies.

Susiana Nugraha, PhD earned a Bachelor of Public Health from the A. Yani School of Health Sciences, Bandung, Indonesia. She also graduated from The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Nagasaki University, Japan. She is a recent PhD graduate of at Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia. She works as a lecturer and researcher in Public Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Respati Indonesia. She is also Vice Director of Center for Family and Aging Studies (CeFAS) University of Respati Indonesia. She is the founder of OASE KUTAI TIMUR, East Borneo, a non-government organization for nutritional issues in under-five children.

Konstadina Griva, FEHPS, PhD is an Associate Professor of Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine at Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She earned her MSC from Kings College London & University College London, UK, and her PhD from University College London, UK. A chartered Health Psychologist and health services researcher, she has a strong track record in initiating and leading collaborative projects in the field of chronic disease management and psychological interventions. She is a recognised international leader in Psycho-Nephrology and received multiple awards including the best research by European Renal Association and European Renal and Dialysis Transplantation (2013); the FASS National University Singapore Excellent Researcher Award (2016) and the 2019 Honorary Fellowship of the European Health Psychology Society. She is a MINT (Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainer) certified trainer and is invested in sustainable motivational interviewing initiatives within health organizations to improve care, patient engagement and working environment for teams. She is an advisor for the Singapore Ministry of Health, Care Team Education Framework Program undertaking work for development of national curriculum for health care professionals. She also serves as the inaugural President of Society of Behavioural Health Singapore (www.sgbehaviouralhealth.com) tasked to promote collaborative research, and training opportunities related to the field of behavioural medicine in Singapore and the Asian region.

Junjie Huang, MD is a Chair of the NCD Working Group since 2022. He is an Assistant Professor at the JC School of Public Health and Primary Care and the Deputy Director of the Centre for Health Education and Health Promotion (CHEHP), Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK); a Lead Researcher of the Global Health Focus Epidemiology Group (GHFEG) and the Asia Pacific Primary Care Cancer (APPCC) Research Group. He is the principal investigator for more than 10 research and knowledge transfer projects. He received more than 20 research awards for his outstanding public health and cancer research, including the President’s Prize for Best Paper from the Hong Kong College of Community Medicine (HKCCM), Early Career Researcher Award in Cancer Primary Care Research at the University of Toronto, the World’s Top 2% Scientists Recognition from Stanford University (2023-2024), and Healthy Women, Healthy Economies (HWHE) Research Prize from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 2023. His research focuses on Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, Big Data Medical Research and Digital Health, and Primary Care Health Education and Promotion. He has led the NCD Working Group to publish many research articles in top international peer-reviewed journals, such as Lancet Haematology, Gastroenterology, Journal of Haematology and Oncology, Neuro-Oncology, Chest, and European Journal of Epidemiology. He currently serves on the editorial board of the Hong Kong Medical Journal, Journal of Korea Medical Science, Public Health Challenges, and Scientific Reports.

Chenwen (Claire) Zhong, PhD is currently a Research Assistant Professor at the JC School of Public Health and Primary Care and the Deputy Director at the Center for Health Education and Health Promotion, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is a member of the Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research and serves on the Editorial Boards of the Hong Kong Medical Journal and the Chinese General Practice Journal. Dr. Zhong obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Medicine from Sun Yat-sen University and her PhD in Public Health from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She has received extensive training in big data analysis, evidence-based medicine, primary care research, guideline development, and implementation science. Building on this strong foundation, Dr. Zhong’s future research agenda will focus on three key areas within primary care:  i) the prediction of non-communicable disease especially cancer risk, including drug-drug comparison analysis, big data analysis, and machine learning; ii) the development and implementation of evidence-based, locally adaptable primary care guidelines, particularly for cancer prevention and chronic disease management; ii) the integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine with conventional medical practices in primary care. Dr. Zhong has actively secured research funding, with a total exceeding HK$5 million, and has published numerous research articles in esteemed international peer-reviewed journals as the first or corresponding author.

Pramon Viwattanakulvanid, PhD is Associate Professor and Deputy Dean at the College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University. He currently directs community assessment and reproductive health branch for Public Health program for Master’s Degree and Doctoral Program. His research focuses on reproductive health, health behaviors, patient empowerment, health promotion, patient support group, traditional Chinese exercise (Qigong), health care access and AI in medicine and machine learning. He has published more than 40 scientific articles and serves as executive reviewer for Journal of Health research. Dr. Pramon holds a doctorate in Social and Administrative Pharmacy (International Program) from Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University. He also earned his Master of Business Administration from University of Colorado at Denver, USA. He graduated from Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University with a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy.

Rhoda Ilenwabor is a PhD candidate at the School of Pharmacy, with academic credentials including a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Nigeria and a Master’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Thailand. Her professional experience spans hospital, community, and industrial pharmacy settings, providing a comprehensive foundation for research and development in healthcare. As a Commonwealth alumna, she holds a postgraduate diploma in Clinical Management of Pain from the University of Edinburgh – an achievement that sparked her enduring interest in improving pain management for older adults. Her research is driven by a commitment to advancing patient-centred care through the integration of innovative technologies in the care of older adults, globally. She is particularly focused on the potential of digital health tools, AI-driven diagnostics, and smart drug delivery systems to transform pain management practices. By utilizing her interdisciplinary background and global perspective, she aims to contribute meaningfully to the future of pain care for aging populations

Michelle L. Hermiston, MD, PhD is the Dean of the College of Health Sciences at VinUniversity and Chief Scientific Officer of the Health Sciences Hub. Prior to joining VinUniversity in November, 2024, she spent 23 years at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) where she served as Director of the UCSF School of Medicine Core Inquiry curriculum, Director of the  UCSF Pediatric Immunotherapy Program, and Associate Director of the Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center Global Cancer Program. She lead development of the first ever Ministry of Health approved training program in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology with the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh. committee where she participates in development and implementation of clinical trials.

Chiung-Jung (Jo) Wu, PhD currently works as an Associate Professor at the College of Health Sciences, VinUni. She is a Fellow of the Australian College of Nursing (FACN) and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), Chair of JBI Expert Reference Group, Cardiovascular Field. She has led multidisciplinary teams across universities and health services. She has provided mentorships to students, academics, clinicians (doctors, nurses, allied health professionals at various levels) in collaborating with consumers, hospital, and community stakeholders with successful outcomes. She has received international recognition: Bronze Medal from European Society for Person Centred Healthcare (ESPCH), for her work in self-management for patients with comorbidities of cardiac disease and diabetes and telehealth. Associate Professor Wu’s research focuses on promoting evidence in chronic diseases; planned projects include refining intervention programs incorporating telehealth, peer support and culturally tailoring and evaluating the programs, and the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data-driven methods in healthcare.

Tam Truong Donnelly, MD, PhD completed four years in the medical doctor program at Hanoi Medical University in Vietnam. She also received the Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Dalhousie University in Canada, a Master of Science in Nursing (1998) and a Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of British Columbia, Canada.  She was a Full Professor in the Faculty of Nursing and the Faculty of Medicine (Community Health Sciences) at the University of Calgary, and past Associate Dean for Research and Lead Principal Researcher at the University of Calgary in Qatar. Currently, she is a Full Professor at the College of Health Sciences, VinUniversity in Vietnam. Professor Donnelly has 23 years of experience teaching and leading research in Canada.  She was awarded Foreign Expert Scholar Program at the University of South China, Hunan Province, China (2017). She also reviews proposals for research grants for research funding agencies (i.e. Ireland Health Research Board Review, Medical Research Council – Research Council United Kingdom (RCUK), Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta, the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation, etc.). She also serves as a Board Member for the University of Calgary’s Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (CHREB).

Giap Thi Thanh Tinh, PhD is currently a Lecturer at the College of Health Sciences, VinUniversity (Vietnam). She previously served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Research and Education Center for Evidence-Based Nursing Knowledge, Chungnam National University (South Korea), where she also completed her PhD, MSc, and Postdoctoral training in Nursing. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Hanoi Medical University (Vietnam). Her research focuses on evidence-based and person-centered nursing practice, emphasizing aging care, dementia, and long-term care systems. Over the past decade, she has made substantial contributions to advancing the science of aging by developing and evaluating strategies that improve the quality of life, safety, and wellbeing of older adults and their caregivers, including shared decision-making, eHealth interventions, and standardized nursing documentation. Dr. Tinh has published 20+ peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals such as Geriatric Nursing, Gerontology, Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, and International Journal of Nursing Studies. She is actively involved in research projects on healthy longevity and smart health systems in Vietnam. Her long-term goal is to contribute to the development of sustainable, compassionate, and technology-supported models of aging care that enhance the dignity, autonomy, and quality of life of older adults in Vietnam and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

Gowri Mutthumanickam is a Public Health Medicine Specialist in training and a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) candidate at the Universiti Malaya. She participated in the working group session “Combatting Ageism in the Asia-Pacific” during the 18th APRU Global Health Conference 2025 held in Kuala Lumpur. Her professional interests encompass healthy aging, health promotion, non-communicable and occupational disease prevention, hearing conservation programs, and evidence-based public health interventions and policies. Dr. Gowri previously served as a District Health Officer, where she provided exemplary leadership in public health operations and community health programs, and was recognized with awards for her outstanding services to the community.

Rubina Bogati is a Professional Teaching Fellow and a PhD Candidate at The University of Auckland, New Zealand. She is work, income, and retirement theme lead at the Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research. She is a Registered Nurse with experience in gerontology nursing. She is part of the gerontology teaching team in the School of Nursing. She is interested in the well-being of older people and people from minority ethnic groups.

Michael Antonio F. Mendoza, DDS is a dentist by profession.  His research interests in public health and health policy has made him involved in consultancy work with different government agencies and developmental partners in the Philippines.  As an Associate Professor from the Department of Community Dentistry of the College of Dentistry at the University of the Philippines Manila, he handles dental public health and research courses, and mentors dentistry students on their research projects.

Rafael Sandico Silva, DDM, MDS (Perio), JD is a Professorial Lecturer at the Department of Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of the Philippines Manila. He teaches Dental Jurisprudence and Ethics and Dental Public Health, emphasizing patient-centered care, professional accountability, and community-oriented dental education. He maintains a hospital-based clinical practice at The Medical City, where he provides dental care for older adults. His research interests focus on the dental and periodontal health of aging populations. Dr. Silva earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of the Philippines-Manila, his Master of Dental Surgery in Periodontology from the University of Hong Kong, a Certificate in Periodontology from Peking University, and his Juris Doctor from the College of Law, University of the Philippines-Diliman.

Mei Lan Fang, PhD is Assistant Professor in Urban Aging at Simon Fraser University, jointly appointed in the Urban Studies Program and the Department of Gerontology, and a Visiting Scholar at the University of Dundee. Her research focuses on community-engaged and participatory approaches to understanding how urban environments influence ageing, wellbeing, and social inclusion. Drawing on methods such as photovoice, walk-along interviews, and story mapping, her work amplifies the voices of older adults to inform more equitable and age-inclusive urban policies and planning processes. She is committed to fostering collaborative, intergenerational, and transdisciplinary research that advances inclusive and sustainable cities for all.

Sara Newman is a Professor of Liberal Arts at the Universidad San Francisco, Quito and Emeritus Professor of English at Kent State University. Her research, teaching, and leadership focus on Rhetoric, Disability, the Philosophy of Medicine and Science, and Clinical Ethics and Inclusion. Her publications include three scholarly monographs (Aristotle and Style; Gilbert Austin`s Chironomia Revisited: Sympathy, Science, and The Representation of Movement; and Writing Disability: A Critical History), and numerous peer reviewed articles on these topics. She has also participated in various workshops and global collaboratives to address these issues.

Jiayu Li, PhD is a Lecturer at the School of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, specializing in reproductive health, gender-based violence, and women’s health equity. She leads multi-country research projects across Asia and Oceania and collaborates closely with regional partners, including WHO and AOFOG. Dr. Li has actively contributed to the APRU Global Health Conference and the APRU Global Health Leadership Course, maintaining strong collaborative relationships across the APRU network. She has served as a speaker and moderator at international events and has published in international journals. She is committed to advancing gender-responsive health systems and regional leadership development.

Chavit Tunvirachaisakul, M.D., Ph.D., is a geriatric psychiatrist and lecturer at the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. He works across older adult mental health services, including the dementia outpatient clinic and dementia day center, providing clinical care and leading service development. He trains future geriatric psychiatrists through the fellowship program. His research spans on biomarker discovery, data driven modeling, and technology-based interventions such as VR supported cognitive rehabilitation and digital assessment tools. He collaborates with the Ministry of Public Health and multidisciplinary teams from other universities to advance dementia care and research. His current work includes building a metaverse platform for cognitive health in collaboration with engineers and computer scientists, aiming to expand accessible dementia prevention.

Shelley Ann F. de la Vega, MD, MSc, FPCGM is a professor in the College of Medicine of the University of the Philippines (UP), Manila. She is the Director of the Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, UP and the Founding President of the Philippine College of Geriatric Medicine. She is also the Former Director of the Institute of Health Policy at UP. She received her MD and Masters in Clinical Epidemiology degrees from UP Manila. She also completed a Geriatrics Fellowship in the Division on Aging, Harvard Medical School.

Rapas Samalapa, MD is a geriatrician and lecturer at the Geriatric Excellence Center, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Her work focuses on geriatric syndromes, healthy aging, and dementia risk assessment and care. Dr. Rapas is committed to improving aging care across clinical, community and educational settings. Her current research explores the prevalence of geriatric syndrome s in urban versus rural populations and strategies for dementia risk assessment in resource-limited environments.

Yi Yu is an Associate Professor in Human Geography at East China Normal University (ECNU), Shanghai. Her research focuses on the geography of ageing and care, smart eldercare, digital governance, and the socio-technical transformation of urban communities in China. She has published extensively in leading international journals, including Progress in Human Geography, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Geoforum, and Environment and Planning D. Dr Yu is the author of Smart Ageing in Urban China: Power, Market and the Everyday Politics of Care (Springer, 2025).

Krishna Sapkota, MHSc, MA, is a Ph.D. candidate in Social Gerontology and a research assistant at the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University, Ohio. He holds a Master’s in Health Science with a concentration in Global Health from the University of Tokyo, Japan, and a Master’s in Population Studies from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. His current research focuses on multimorbidity, obesity, and the well-being of older adults, with work spanning Nepal, Nigeria, and the United States. Sapkota has authored more than a dozen peer-reviewed publications and a book chapter and has presented his research at numerous international conferences. Moreover, his publications are on topics such as successful aging, quality of life, multimorbidity, hypertension burden, obesity, oncology care, and mental health among minority populations. Before pursuing his doctoral studies, Sapkota spent over a decade working in the nonprofit sector on disability prevention, rehabilitation, and cancer control, as well as several years of college teaching. He has been recognized with multiple academic awards, including the James McKenney Student Award from the Gerontological Society of America and a scholarship from the Association for Professionals in Aging, Ohio.

Aman Shrestha is a PhD candidate in Gerontology and an MS student in Epidemiology and Clinical Research at the Universities of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and Baltimore County (UMBC), USA. He holds two graduate degrees, including a Master of Gerontological Studies from Miami University, USA, and a Master of Arts in Population Studies from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, underpinned by a strong academic foundation in population studies and statistics. Aman currently serves as a graduate research assistant at the Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine. His current lab work focuses on novel kidney and urinary biomarkers of aging and their association with dual trajectories of cognition and gait among older adults.

Shengxiao (Alex) Li is an Assistant Professor in Urban Planning at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Prior to joining NUS, he held positions at the University of Oregon and University of California, Riverside. His research interests broadly cover transportation equity issues, urban planning for an aging society, and local sustainability actions and governance. He holds a PhD in City and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania and obtained his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Peking University, China.

Edmar San Jose Elcarte, RN, CNN, LPT is a registered nurse, a certified nephrology nurse, a licensed professional teacher, a trained diabetes educator, a palliative and hospice care advocate, research mentor, and educator. With his more than 8 years of nursing practice, he has experience in the clinical, hospital management, health research, project management, and nursing education. He also built linkages from different nursing organizations in the Philippines and abroad promoting advancements in learning among nurses in different care settings. Edmar is an international chapter member of Asia Pacific Hospice and Palliative Care Network (APHRN) Singapore, Sigma Nursing, and Western Pacific Palliative Care Advocacy Network (WPPCAN). He also served as a technical consultant for Department of Health in the development of Palliative and Hospice Care Training Manual and Manual of Operations. He obtained his postgraduate studies in teaching at University of Santo Tomas under a scholarship grant from STEP-UP Philippine Business for Education. He received Master of Arts in Nursing Major in Adult Health Nursing at University of the Philippines-Manila, working as research specialist in Our Lady of Fatima University, and adjunct faculty in De La Salle Health Sciences Institute and Centro Escolar University-Manila.

Ma. Celina U. Garcia, DDM, FPBP is an Associate Professor of Periodontology at the University of the Philippines Manila and an Affiliate Research Faculty at the Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, also in the same university. Her research focuses on the link between periodontitis and systemic conditions, epidemiology of periodontal diseases, and the association between geriatric oral health and physical frailty. She is passionate in conducting research that may guide policy for universal healthcare and the betterment of the oral health of Filipinos.

Tuan T. Nguyen, MD, MSc, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the College of Health Sciences at VinUniversity and a medical epidemiologist with nearly 30 years of global health experience. He previously served as Regional Technical Advisor at FHI 360, providing technical leadership in nutrition, maternal and child health, health systems, and digital innovation across Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. He has collaborated with institutions including the University of Southern California, the University of Canberra, the Australian National University, and the National Institute of Nutrition in Vietnam. Dr. Nguyen earned his PhD in Nutrition and Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by postdoctoral fellowships at Baylor College of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He also holds an MSc from the University of Indonesia and an MD in Pediatrics from Hanoi Medical University. His research focuses on maternal and child nutrition, non‑communicable diseases, food systems, climate‑health intersections, and human milk banking. He has co‑authored over 90 peer‑reviewed publications, contributed to major Vietnam, ASEAN and UNICEF guidelines, and serves as Associate Editor of the International Breastfeeding Journal. Dr. Nguyen also helped develop global digital tools—including the Mothers’ Milk Tool, Green Feeding Tool, and Human Milk Bank Costing Tool—that support evidence‑based policy and health system strengthening worldwide.

Radiana Dhewayani Antarianto, MD, MS, PhD is an associate Professor at Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia (FMUI). She obtained medical doctor and master in biomedical science (histology major) degree from FMUI  and PhD regenerative science from Medizinische Hochschule in Hanover, Germany.  She is the principal investigator at the Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Research Centre,  and her research focuses on iPSCs liver organoids and cellular immunotherapy for cancer. Currently, she is working on the project Stem Cell for Advanced Biomedicine Research (STELLAR) in multidisciplinary team with academic researchers from 5 universities (Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Padjadjaran, Universitas YARSI, Universitas Gunadarma, and Universitas Kristen Indonesia), along with stem cell researchers from the National Innovation and Research Agency (BRIN) and national stem cell research industry.

María Soledad Guerra Melo is a clinical psychologist, graduated from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, and holds a Master’s degree in Psychogerontology from the Complutense University of Madrid. She specializes in emotional well-being and comprehensive health throughout the aging process, with extensive experience working with older adults and promoting active and healthy aging.

She has worked in public institutions in Ecuador, leading initiatives to improve the quality of life of older adults and to ensure their social inclusion. She is currently a part-time lecturer at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, where she focuses on topics related to psychogerontology and healthy aging.

She is the co-founder of SAGI: Integrated Gerontological Care Services, a center dedicated to the comprehensive care of older adults, with an emphasis on cognitive stimulation, psychosocial intervention, and emotional support. Her commitment is to promote a positive vision of aging, highlighting its potential to contribute meaningfully to society.

Paul Gardiner is Associate Professor and Deputy Head of School at the School of Public Health at the University of Queensland in Australia. Paul Gardiner’s multidisciplinary research promotes active ageing with a focus on helping people improve and maintain quality of life. His PhD research reported for the first time that it is feasible to reduce sedentary time in older adults. His current research builds on this to examine behavioral approaches to dementia prevention.

He is part of the Our Voice Citizen Science global research network. This network has over 30 members across six continents and aims to improve health equity through allowing citizens to discover their environment, discuss their findings, and advocate for change. He has a strong interest in diversity, equity and inclusion and co-founded the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Special Interest Group of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA). Previous research areas have included evaluation of drug and alcohol treatment services, development and dissemination of parenting programs, stillbirth epidemiology, and women’s health.

Rathiruba Selvaraju is a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) candidate at Universiti Malaya, Malaysia, with a background in public health and occupational health. She obtained her Master of Public Health from Universiti Malaya and is a Certified Occupational Health Doctor and an Ergonomic Trained Person through the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Malaysia. Her previous research examined musculoskeletal disorders and burnout among nurses, while her current doctoral work focuses on developing and evaluating interventions that address musculoskeletal and psychosocial health outcomes simultaneously. She participated in the APRU Virtual Case Competition during the APRU Global Health Conference 2025 held at Universiti Malaya. She is also the author of the eBook Rise, Reflect & Lead: A Guide to Healthcare Management, published in 2025. Her professional interests include occupational health, workplace well-being, ergonomics and psychosocial health, and public health leadership that bridges research, policy, and frontline practice.

Jonathan Cohen, JD MPhil (he/him/his) is Professor of Clinical Population and Public Health Sciences at the University of Southern California and Director of Policy Engagement at the USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health. Professor Cohen was previously the Public Health Program Director at the Open Society Foundations, overseeing one of the world’s largest philanthropic enterprises to advance human rights in global health. A Canadian-born international lawyer, he has worked for over two decades to strengthen human rights standards, programs, and advocacy initiatives in diverse domains of population and public health. His academic research, human rights investigations, and commentaries have contributed to the normative development of fields as diverse as access to essential medicines, harm reduction, HIV/AIDS, mental health, palliative care, and reproductive and sexual health. Professor Cohen is an emerging leader in the field of population aging, having served as a visiting scholar studying LGBTQ+ aging at the Hastings Center and a Health and Aging Policy Fellow in the United States Senate. His current work seeks to equip low and middle-income countries to equitably confront the challenge and opportunity of population aging and demographic change. He is a member of the board of HelpAge USA and a consultant on health and aging policy with Grantmakers in Aging and Grantmakers in Health. He began his career as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada and as a researcher with the HIV/AIDS Program at Human Rights Watch. He holds degrees from Yale College, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.