Professor Zilfalil Bin Alwi is a senior consultant Pediatrician & clinical Geneticist at the School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Kota Bharu, Kelantan. He received his specialist training in Pediatrics (Master of Medicine (Pediatrics)) from the same university and later went to study at University of Glasgow, United Kingdom where he obtained a MSc in Medical Genetics and then to University of Aston where he obtained a PhD in Pharmacogenetics. His research interest includes population genomics (genetic diversity of the Malay ethnic group) and genome wide studies on diseases common to the local population. Prof Zilfalil is the founder and head of the Malaysian Node of the Human Variome Project (MyHVP). He is a member of the Board of Directors of Human Variome Project (HVP) International and is the joint chairman for Global Globin 2020 Challenge (GG2020) -- a global project by HVP which involve the systematic collection and sharing of variation data to fight haemoglobinopathies (Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease). He has also served as the Director of USM Human Genome Center from 2005 to 2009. Prof Zilfalil is the Chief Editor of several journals including the Malaysian Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health (MJPCH), which is the official journal of Malaysian Pediatric Association and Malaysian Journal of Human Genetics (MJHG), which is the official journal of the Malaysian Society of Human Genetics. He is a council member of the College of Pediatrics, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia and fellow of this Academy. He is also the founding president of the Malaysian Society of Human Genetics.