Noraznawati Ismail was born in Kuala Terengganu in 1969. She obtained her Diploma in Science from MARA Institute of Technology (now Universiti Teknologi MARA) in 1989, followed by Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Biochemistry and Master of Science (Molecular Biology & Biotechnology from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor in 1994 and 2000. She later acquired her Doctoral degree in Marine Biotechnology from Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom in 2006.
She is currently the Head of Marine Microbes Research Program in the Institute of Marine Biotechnology, one of centre of excellence in UMT. Her recent research interest is in marine biotechnology, where she focuses her study on the discovery of potential biochemical compounds in marine invertebrates including exploring for potential microbes associated with marine organisms. Her interest then leads her to a new discovery of using marine invertebrates as bioactive compounds for anti-fouling research.