Dr Fatima El-Assaad is a biomedical scientist and executive research leader specialising in precision multi-omics science, including the microbiome. She graduated with First Class Honours in Medical Science and was awarded a PhD in Medicine (by publication) from The University of Sydney. She is a former UNSW Vice-Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow, recognised for her work in infectious diseases and neuroscience. As a founding member of the UNSW Microbiome Research Centre, Dr El-Assaad has led national and international, multidisciplinary research programs exploring the role of inflammation and the microbiome in women’s health, mental health, and healthy ageing. In her role, she has driven and coordinated over 100 innovative, translational, and collaborative research projects, alongside education, stakeholder engagement, and partnership activities. She has also managed a team of more than 40 researchers across diverse medical themes, shaping Australia’s first dedicated microbiome research centre into a hub of excellence.

Dr Jerry Zhou is a senior lecturer at the School of Medicine at Western Sydney University. Dr Zhou leads research at the multi-disciplinary GI Motility Unit, which combines clinical medicine, dietetics, neuroscience, and consumer advocacy to develop innovations in the treatment of chronic gut disorders.

Dr Helen Pynor is an interdisciplinary Artist and Researcher whose practice explores philosophically and experientially ambiguous zones, such as the life-death boundary, the intersubjective nature of organ transplantation, and the animate-inanimate boundary in relation to prosthetics. She works across installation, sculpture, photography, video, media art, wet biology, microscopy and performance. Pynor frequently undertakes in-depth residencies and collaborations in scientific and clinical institutions, such as The Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden. Her work has been exhibited widely internationally including at Tekniska Museet, Stockholm; ZKM | Center of Art and Media Karlsruhe; Beijing Media Art Biennale; National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts; Experimenta International Triennial of Media Art, Australia; FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) Liverpool UK; Science Gallery Dublin; Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney; and ISEA. Pynor has received an Honorary Mention at Prix Ars Electronica, Linz, and national awards in Australia.

Dr Vanessa Bartlett is a visual art curator, arts and wellbeing specialist and occasional artist. She brings art and people together to explore how equality, ethics and social justice are influenced by the medical and technical systems that shape our lives. She specialises in curating exhibitions and creative projects that explore themes of mental and physical health, disability justice and ethics and practices of care. She was Mckenzie Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Culture and Communication (2020-2023), and Research Fellow in the Faculty of Law (2024-2025), at University of Melbourne.