Maria Cordina graduated in Pharmacy from the University of Malta in 1992 and obtained her PhD from The Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland, Uk in 1998. Maria Cordina is a professor with the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Malta, where she is also Head of WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Professionals Education and Research. She serves on the International Expert Advisory Group, Global Alliance for Chronic Disease (GACD) and has been appointed to Global Primary Care Respiratory Collaborative, within International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG). She founded the Malta College of Pharmacy Practice in 1995 and was elected president until 2018 and later in 1997 established the Journal of the Malta College of Pharmacy Practice where she also acted as editor. During the International Social Pharmacy Workshop in Banff, Canada, in 2024 she was recognised as an International Leader in Social Pharmacy. She sits on various editorial boards of international peer-reviewed journals. Maria has supported WHO in relation to pharmaceutical matters and education in the Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan additionally to Moldova, Armenia and the Russian Federation. She has also acts as expert evaluator for the European Commission’s Research programme. Her interest in the appropriate use of medicine started when conducting research on the pharmaceutical care of asthma. This later expanded to appropriate medicines use in other long-term conditions and even further to any situation where appropriate medicines use is challenging.

Corinne Bowman is a pharmacist by profession and has worked in various departments within the government health services. She is currently a Professional Practice Pharmacist at the National Central Procurement and Supplies Unit within the National Health Service. She gained significant experience as a hospital pharmacist working in medicines information. Corinne graduated with an M.Sc. in Health Informatics and a Doctorate in Health, both from the University of Bath, UK. Corinne draws inspiration for her research from her work experience. She has authored publications related to sources of medicinal cannabis as well as a mixed‑methods investigating online medicine purchasing. She has conducted collaborative research related to interprofessional education (IPE), through WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Professionals Education and Research resulting in a published systematic review on successful European IPE models, identifying barriers and facilitators to collaborative health education. Corinne’s interests span medicine use behaviour, patient safety in digital health, medical cannabis outcomes, and interprofessional health education. She has acquired extensive experience in conducting systematic reviews and works within MURG towards providing reliable evidence with the aim of advancing medicines use optimisation.

Bernice Azzopardi Meli graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Malta in 2008. She furthered her studies with a Diploma in Education in 2012 and subsequently worked in Secondary Education. In 2016, she completed a Master’s degree in Bioethics, reflecting her passion for education and ethics in healthcare. Bernice progressed to teaching Health and Social Care, which led to her current role as Head of the Department of Vocational Subjects within The Secretariat for Catholic Education. She has a number of publications in peer-reviewed journals and a book chapter in Contemporary Issues in Bioethics: Vol. 1 on ethical issues in pharmacogenetics. As part of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Professionals Education and Research, Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, she contributed for over two years to developing a policy brief to strengthen the health workforce’s use of digital technologies for WHO Europe, alongside her principal supervisor, Professor Maria Cordina. She is currently pursuing her PhD studies at the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics further developing her work in health workforce digital technologies education.

Maya Camilleri Sacco graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Pharmacology from the University of Malta in 2024, as part of the first cohort in this field. She is currently reading for a PhD with the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics under the supervision of Professor Maria Cordina, working on patients’ expectations of their medication. Her interest in the patient–medication relationship began with her undergraduate research  which focused on the use of fentanyl patches in pain Relief. Maya is the founder of the pharmacology student organisation PACTS (Pharmacology and Clinical Therapeutics Students’ Society) where she served as President for two years. Following this, she held the role of Education Officer within KSU (Kunsill Studenti Universitarji), the university student council, where her primary task was advocating on behalf of students. Maya has also been elected to a two-year term as a student representative on the University Council,  which is the supreme governing body of the University of Malta, responsible for the general administration of the University and for appointing new staff members, both local and foreign, to the various academic and administrative posts. Within the University Council she contributes to key decisions shaping the university’s academic and student life. She is also a Student Ambassador for the University of Malta, where she is responsible for welcoming prospective students and visiting lecturers, introducing them to  University campus and supporting their stay.

Rebecca Borg studied pharmacology, with the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics and graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Pharmacology in 2024. She has since proceeded to read for the degree of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Malta. Rebecca’s zeal to engage in research led her to conduct a study addressing the effectiveness of medical cannabis for use in patients with chronic pain resulting in a systematic review which generated innovative evidence, since it not only looked at the drug in question, but also its formulation. At the time of conducting this research, it was a topic of significant local interest due to legislation changes regarding availability of medical cannabis in Malta. Rebecca’s research interests include  evaluating medicines use and effectiveness in clinical practice, with a particular focus on real-world evidence and patient-reported outcomes.

Ruth Borg Theuma graduated in Pharmacy in 2002 from the University of Malta. She obtained a M.Sc in Clinical Pharmacy from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen in 2007.  Ruth is a practicing Hospital Clinical Pharmacist at Mater Dei Hospital, the main acute state hospital in Malta. She has a long-standing special interest in the therapeutic management of diabetes and other endocrinology-related conditions. Ruth was the founding president of the Malta Association of Hospital Pharmacists (MAHP).  She was instrumental in establishing MAHP in 2013 which is a member of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists. Together with her hospital colleagues, she worked towards promoting and aiding the professional development of Hospital Pharmacy in Malta.  Her research included standardising supplemental insulin use in hospitalised patients with type 2 diabetes using a subcutaneous insulin protocol. She actively participates in research led by other members of the group contributing with her wealth of knowledge and experience in the pharmacotherapeutic management of disease. Her main interests include patient medication safety and pharmacotherapeutic management of diabetes.

Lara Bonnici is a practice nurse at the Malta National Poisons Centre, where she applies her extensive clinical expertise to support critical care and patient safety initiatives. With 11 years of specialised experience in emergency medicine, Lara brings comprehensive knowledge in both prehospital care and resuscitation protocols to her current role. Her emergency medicine background encompasses critical interventions in high-pressure environments, from initial emergency response through advanced life support procedures. This extensive frontline experience provides her with invaluable insight into acute care scenarios and patient management during medical emergencies. Lara holds a Bachelor's degree in Nursing from the University of Malta and a Master's degree in Forensics and Criminal Investigation. She has also successfully obtained her Master's degree in Pharmacotoxicology at the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta under the supervision of Professor Maria Cordina. The unique combination of clinical nursing practice and specialised pharmacotoxicology training positions her at the intersection of healthcare, investigative sciences, and medication safety. Lara’s research interests align with her clinical practice and academic pursuits, focusing on medication safety, therapeutic interventions, and toxicological aspects of emergency and critical care settings.

Ann-Marie Cassar Flores is a Professional Practice Pharmacist in Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (NPICU) at Mater Dei Hospital. After earning a Masters Degree in Clinical Pharmacy from the University of Aberdeen in 2012, she established the clinical pharmacy service in NPICU, Malta, in 2013, focusing on optimizing medication management, improving medication safety and integrating evidence-based pharmaceutical care in paediatrics. In 2015, Ann-Marie implemented a similar service in a tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Dublin, Ireland further advancing medication safety protocols and improving patient outcomes for those who are critically ill. She works closely with the medical, nursing, and midwifery teams in NPICU to ensure safe, evidence-based drug therapy, developing guidelines and protocols for standardised care. She focuses on safe drug dosing, condition-specific treatment protocols, and continuous monitoring to ensure optimal outcomes. Committed to education and patient safety, Ann-Marie trains new recruits and conducts simulation sessions in NPICU, fostering high-quality neonatal and paediatric pharmaceutical care. She was also involved in medical education, teaching prescribing and paediatric modules to medical students. Ann-Marie ensures that critically ill neonates and children receive the highest standards of pharmaceutical care, through evidence-based practices and collaborative approaches. Her knowledge and experience are instrumental in contributing to research on medicines use in paediatric patients.

Maria Caruana holds a Bachelor of Education in Science, specialising in Biology, and a Master of Science in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics from the University of Malta. She currently teaches Biology to secondary school children, and is a lecturer in Biology and Health at the Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology. Her Master’s research focused on childhood asthma in the primary school setting, using a mixed methods approach that included a systematic review, survey distribution, interviews, and focus groups. The study provided evidence to support interventions and policy development aimed at improving care for children with asthma in schools. Her work has been published in international peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. Her research interest lies in appropriate medication use in school children.

Nicole Farrugia is a highly experienced community pharmacist who has practised both in Malta and in the UK, where she focused on delivering community-based health services. Upon returning to Malta and practising in the community, she identified the unmet medication needs of patients with low literacy and low health literacy. She developed a passion for supporting these patients which led her to read for a Master’s degree with the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics under the supervision of Professor Maria Cordina thereby joining MURG. Her commitment to improving patient medication literacy fueled her research where she initially conducted a systematic review on effective interventions for improving health literacy and medication adherence then further devised a study that involved the cultural adaptation of International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) pictograms for older adults with cardiovascular conditions, and further developed educational materials to support patients with low health literacy. Additionally she is engaged in an ongoing investigation assessing electronic health literacy levels within a population with known health literacy challenges. She continues to actively pursue the improvement of health literacy in her daily professional practice by exploring and implementing diverse communication strategies within a low literacy/health literacy setting to achieve measurable outcomes. 

Elizabeth Grech is a medical doctor specialising in paediatrics, having graduated from the University of Malta in 2023. She is currently reading for an MPhil in Public Health, with research focused on metabolic diseases. Alongside her clinical work, Elizabeth has a strong interest in medicine safety research, particularly in enhancing the safe and effective use of medicines in paediatric populations. Additionally, Elizabeth led a study looking at education on medication safety within the undergraduate doctor of medicine course, at the University of Malta, which sought to understand the issue from the students' perspective.

Ingrid Fenech is a Qualified Person (QP) working within the pharmaceutical industry, with over 15 years of experience in quality control and quality assurance. In this role, she is responsible for ensuring that medicinal products are manufactured and tested in compliance with regulatory requirements and meet the highest standards of safety, quality, and efficacy before being released to the market. She is actively involved in a variety of projects and has extensive experience in conducting quality risk management processes. Ingrid holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Biology and Chemistry and an M.Sc. in Clinical Pharmacology from the University of Malta, as well as an MBA (General) from the University of Chester. Her research work through MURG has focused on the validation of the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ) in Maltese. The principal aim of this study was to produce a culturally and contextually appropriate version of the BMQ in the Maltese language and to assess its psychometric properties. The Maltese version of the BMQ displayed acceptable psychometric properties, making it a suitable instrument to measure patients’ beliefs about medicines in the Maltese language. The instrument was subsequently utilised to investigate medication beliefs among university students and was further applied in a transgenerational maternal study examining health beliefs and behaviours across three generations: maternal grandmother, mother, and student. Ingrid supports and participates in research conducted by other members of the group.

Lauren Marie Grech graduated as a midwife in 2018 and her interest in research, led her to join this group during her undergraduate years where she developed an interest in medication safety during pregnancy. Her research interests include obstetric care and medication safety practices in her field. Over the years, she held an active role in the group by contributing to the research of her peers on medicines use and practices in the community and participating in systematic reviews. Lauren holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in midwifery and a Master of Science in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Her Master’s degree research evaluated the impact of using cardiotocography guidelines in labour. Lauren is a practicing midwife with extensive experience in various maternity settings, including antenatal and postpartum care as well as obstetric and gynaecological emergency care. Currently, she works at the newly-established Early Pregnancy Unit at Mater Dei Hospital, dealing mainly with early pregnancy complications and pregnancy loss.

Katya Sacco is a hospital pharmacist at Mater Dei Hospital, the main acute state hospital in Malta. She proceeded to read for a Master’s Degree with the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, with her research exploring the determinants of Medication use in patients with chronic conditions. Her dedication to medication safety led her to read for a second Master’s degree in Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Katya’s research interests focus on medication adherence, patient safety, and caregiver involvement in chronic disease management. Her postgraduate research has examined behavioural and psychosocial influences on medication adherence in patients with chronic illness, as well as medication safety challenges during transitions of care, particularly following hospital discharge. Her work applies behavioural science frameworks to identify and address barriers to safe and effective medication use. Drawing on her extensive experience as a practicing pharmacist, Katya Sacco brings a patient-centred approach to her research in medicines use and public health through improved and more effective medication use across healthcare settings. Within the group she contributes to research related to advancing medication safety and adherence strategies. Her commitment to improving healthcare outcomes extends beyond academia, Katya also collaborates with the World Health Organization on initiatives such as the “Let’s Talk” campaign, which fostered open dialogue around medication safety and empowers patients to take an active role in their treatment.

Sarah Zammit is a warranted health psychologist and Gestalt psychotherapist working in the National Health Service. She graduated with a Bachelor of Psychology Honours from the University of Malta in 2015, a MSc in Health Psychology from the University of Bath (UK) in 2017, and a Master in Gestalt Psychotherapy from GPTIM Malta in 2023. She has conducted research within the Medicines Use Research Group in the area of health and medication literacy in collaboration with the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Medicines Agency (FEMA) resulting in a joint publication relating to the desire to participate in pharmacotherapy decision-making comparing two countries. Sarah’s research interests include medication adherence, psychological approaches to pain management and weight management.