Dr. Sahlawati Mustakim is currently the Head of Pathology Department and Head of Microbiology Unit at Hospital Sungai Buloh, and also serves as the National Head for Microbiology Discipline under the Ministry of Health Malaysia. She holds medical and pathology qualifications from University College Cork, Ireland and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, with subspecialty training in mycology from the University of South Manchester, UK. With over two decades of experience, she is actively involved in developing national microbiology services, including diagnostic strategies, antimicrobial resistance initiatives, and laboratory quality management. She has served as Lead Assessor for MS ISO 9001 and Technical Assessor for MS ISO 15189, and contributes to various national and international professional bodies. Her research work includes numerous scientific publications and conference presentations focusing on infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and medical mycology.