Professor Joris R. Vermeesch is a Full Professor of Molecular Cytogenetics and Genome Research at KU Leuven (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven), Belgium. He is a staff member of the Center for Human Genetics and serves as the Scientific Director of the Genomics Core Facility at KU Leuven. Internationally recognized for his pioneering contributions to preimplantation, prenatal, and postnatal genetic diagnosis, as well as cancer genomics, Prof. Vermeesch has been at the forefront of advancing genomic technologies for clinical and research applications. His research focuses on the development and translation of cutting-edge genomic methodologies, particularly in the detection of single-cell aneuploidy and the study of chromosomal instability. His work has provided critical insights into the mechanisms underlying chromosomal instability and structural rearrangements, particularly during early human development. Through innovative technologies, including single-cell arrays and massively parallel sequencing, his laboratory has identified novel phenomena associated with chromosomal instability in human embryos. Prof. Vermeesch has made significant contributions to the scientific community, with an extensive publication record exceeding 400 peer-reviewed papers and a Google Scholar H-index of 84. He is the founder of Cartagenia, a genomics diagnostics spin-off company, and has held numerous leadership roles, including past President of the Belgian Society of Human Genetics, Scientific Board Member of the European Cytogenetics Association, and elected Board Member of the International Society for Prenatal Diagnosis (ISPD). Currently, he serves as the President-Elect of the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis International Society (PGDIS).

Professor Darren Griffin received his BSc and DSc degrees from the University of Manchester and his PhD from University College London. After postdoctoral stints at Case Western Reserve University and the University of Cambridge, he landed his first academic post at Brunel University, before settling at the University of Kent, 20 years ago. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists, the Royal Society of Biology, and the Royal Society of Arts and is President of the International Chromosome and Genome Society. A world leader in cytogenetics, he performed the first successful cytogenetic PGT and played a significant role in the development of Karyomapping, an approach he now applies to cattle and pigs. He has co-authored ~350 scientific publications, mainly on the cytogenetics of reproduction and evolution, recently providing insight into the karyotypes of dinosaurs. He is a prolific science communicator, a part time TV presenter and an enthusiastic proponent of interdisciplinary research endeavour. He has supervised over 45 PhD students to completion and his work appears consistently in the media. He has run a vibrant research group including a programme of externally supervised students and maintains commercial interests relating to the outcomes of research findings.

Dr. Ayman El-Hattab is a Professor at the College of Medicine, University of Sharjah; and he is heavily involved in research. He has conducted many clinical research projects, and he has more than 120 publications, several book chapters, and many presentations in scientific conferences. His research fields include chromosomal abnormalities, metabolic disorders, neurogenetic diseases, novel gene and syndrome discovery, and mitochondrial diseases. Professor Ayman El-Hattab has received several awards, and he was designated as one of the world’s top 2% scientists in the field of genetics by Stanford University, USA in the report published in October 2020.

Dr. Xiangwen Peng received his Ph.D. in genetics from Fudan University in Shanghai, China. He completed post-doc training in Dr Jiandong Liu Lab at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Dr Patterson, Michaelas lab at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Now he is the director of the central laboratory of Changsha Maternal and Child Health Hospital at Hunan Normal University, China. Peng’s research interests include the molecular and cellular mechanisms of human birth defects, genetic diseases heart disease and child rehabilitation .He has published 16 papers.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Mutery earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Genetics from the University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Canterbury, UK, in 2012. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales, Cardiff, UK, obtained in 2005, and a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Zoology from the Sciences College, King Saud University, KSA, completed in 2001. He is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Advisory Board for the Biotechnology Program at the Science Faculty of the University of Sharjah, UAE, the International Academy of Handwriting Analysis in Paris, France, and the International Chromosome and Genome Society (ICGS) in Kent, UK. Dr. Al-Mutery has been involved in significant research projects, such as a cytogenetics comparative study of different species in Houbara, funded by the University of Sharjah with an 80,000 AED grant in 2018, and a study evaluating genetic associations with common epilepsy in the Emirati population, which has been submitted to the Hamdan Foundation. His educational philosophy centers on encouraging the pursuit of knowledge and critical thinking. He believes in fostering an environment where students are encouraged to work hard, earn their grades, and express their opinions, with his role being to facilitate their learning process rather than focusing on rote memorization of facts.

Dr Tawfeg Ben-Omran received his speciality training in clinical and metabolic genetics at the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Canada. He obtained both FRCPS and FCCMG in Medical Genetics in 2006. Currently, he is Division Chief, Genetic and Genomic Medicine at Sidra Medicine, as well as a Senior Consultant at the Department of Medical Genetics at Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar. He is also an Associate Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, Qatar. Dr Ben-Omran has contributed to the body of published knowledge in clinical and metabolic genetics, with over 130 published articles in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters and abstracts. He is a reviewer for many clinical genetics journals. An active clinical researcher, Dr Ben-Omran collaborates on projects with local, regional and international communities. He is a lead primary investigator in many high-profile research projects and clinical trials, including the Nurture Trial for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. His main scientific interests include genetics of Mendelian Disorders, Skeletal Dysplasia, and Autosomal Recessive Disorders in Arabs. In addition, Dr Ben-Omran is an external advisor and expert for E-HOD (European registry and network for homocystinuria and methylation defects).

Dr. Nicholas Hickson is the Education and Training Lead for the South East Genomic Laboratory Hub (SEGLH) and Synnovis Genomics. He completed his PhD in Human Genetics in 2009 and graduated from the National Scientist Training Programme (STP) in Genomics in 2012. In addition to his role in genomic laboratory training, Dr. Hickson serves as an honorary lecturer at The University of Manchester, where he leads the specialist academic components of the National Scientist Training Programme in Cancer Genomics. His extensive expertise in both clinical genomics and education contributes significantly to the development of training programs for future genomics professionals.

Piyasi is a 5th-year Ph.D. candidate in Cell and molecular biology at the University of Arkansas, USA. She is a passionate researcher, a trained geneticist, and a protein chemist and has been in the field for 7+ years. Piyasi received her B.Tech & M.Tech degrees from Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, India. She did a year of training as a research assistant at the Centre of Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad, India, and as a trainee at INTAS Biopharma, Ahmedabad, India. Piyasi moved to the USA to pursue a Ph.D degree and is about to graduate. During her research years, she has worked on several projects both independently and in a collaborative environment using multiple research model organisms. Her current research involves understanding the molecular mechanisms of axon guidance pathways in fruit flies. She has delivered talks and poster presentations in 5+ international conferences and seminars. She has published abstracts in Wiley, with one article in BioRxiv and one publication under review. She also has mentored young minds in Cell Biology and Genetics. She is a member of Genetics Society of America and a member and organizer of a student body council at her current university. She believes it is important to have fun while learning. She aspires to work in a collaborative environment where she can contribute to the advancement of medicine.

Anas Bilal received a B.S. degree in telecommunication and networks from Iqra University, Pakistan, in 2013, an M.S. degree in electrical and electronic systems from the University of Lahore, Pakistan, in 2016, and a Ph.D. degree in Electronics science and technology from Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China in 2021. He works as an assistant Professor and undergraduate supervisor at the Software College, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China. He has published over50 technical articles in scientific journals and conference proceedings. His current research interests include AI, Computer vision, Image processing, medical imaging, Remote Sensing, and Pattern Recognition. Dr. Anas's research focuses on various image processing and computation communication methods through technology, developing new and innovative approaches for medical imaging and remote sensing images. Dr. Anas Bilal is an Academic Editor of PLOS ONE and CMC journal, Advisory Board Member of the Journal of Social Sciences Advancements, International Advisory Chair at BDAITM 2023, China, Programmed Chair at ICPPOE 2022, Programmed Chair at ICAICT 2023, and Member of the Technical Program Committee at AIIPCC 2023 and many more. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE), IEEE Computer Society Technical Community onComputer Architecture, and IEEE Young Professionals.