Overview
Dr. Tims has more than 40 years of experience in the herbal product field as a clinical herbalist, teacher at undergraduate and graduate levels, researcher on the chemical ecology of medicinal plants and product development of wellness products, as well as leadership in national herbal product organizations.
Professional Narrative
Dr. Bhodi Tims is program director of Herbal Product Design and Manufacture and the Cannabis Science Certificate programs, as well as directing the Botanical Pharmacognosy Lab at Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). He has broad herbal research experience in product and formulary development, clinical application, analytical method development, and the chemical ecology of medicinal plants.
His current research interests focus on:
1. Rational product development based on understanding the chemical ecology of controlled growing conditions of Cannabis on full spectrum extract of clinically relevant compounds.
2. Characterizing the role of various extraction processes on the efficacy, safety and posology of herbal and cannabis products.
3. Developing formulary using adaptogens, trophorestoratives and cannabis to help build constitutional resilience in humans.
4. Combining cannabis products and traditional herbals in producing unique therapeutic, cosmeceutical and consumable formulary.
Dr. Tims also collaborated with federal regulators to provide medicinal plant toxicity assessments. He co-developed HerbMed, a web-based herbal database providing access to scientific data on herbal medicine, and he completed a NIH/NIST postdoctoral fellowship developing Botanical Standard Reference Materials. His past research with medicinal plants explored:
• The role of lectins as signaling molecules in American Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum).
• The chemical ecology of Hydrastis canadensis rhizosphere and its effect on soil fungi.
• Tissue culture experiments to differentiate plant tissue of Mistletoe and Goldenseal.
• Enzymatic extraction and certification measurements of green tea (Camellia sinensis).
• Developed analytical methods to evaluate economic adulteration of goldenseal
He received his BA in English/Writing from George Mason University and his Ph.D. in the Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Dr. Tims maintains a medicinal plant research blog at bhoditims.com.
Selected Publications & Presentations
Johnson, H.E., Amarillas, C., Bzhelyansky, A., Jennens, M., Krepich, S., Kuszak, A., Monagas, M., Parisi, S., Reif, K., Rimmer, C.A., Stewart, J., Szpylka, J., Tims, M.C., Van Breemen, R., Zhao, H., Coates, G. (2018) Standard Method Performance Requirements (SMPRs®) 2018.006: Determination of Select Flavonoids from Skullcap. Journal of AOAC International. 101(4): 1261-1265.
Dentali, S.J., Amarillas, C., Blythe, T., Brown, P.N., Bzhelyansky, A., Johnson, H.E., Krepich, S., Kuszak, A. Metcalfe, C. Monagas, M., Mudge, E., Parisi, S., Reif, K., Rimmer, C.A., Sasser, M., Solyom, A.M., Stewart, J., Szpylka, J., Tims, M.C., Van Breemen, R., You, H., Zhao, H., Zielinski, G., Coates, S.G. (2018) Standard Method Performance Requirements (SMPRs®) 2018.005: Determination of Kavalactones and/or Flavokavains from Kava (Piper methysticum). Journal of AOAC International. 101(4): 1256-1260.
Tims, M. (2017) Review: Isolation, Identification and Characterization of Allelochemicals/Natural Products. J. Nat. Prod. 80 (4): 1230“1230.
Tims, M. (2016) Putting the Cart before the Horse: Toward the Appropriate Use of DNA Methods for Quality Assurance in the Herbal Supplement Industry. J. Comp. Alt. Med. 22(8):1-3.
Tims, M. (2016) Botanical Adulterants Program (BAP) Bulletin on Adulteration of Hydrastis canadensis roots. Austin, TX: ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program. Tims, M.C. (2014) Transformative Learning: The Role of Research in Traditional Clinical Disciplines. Integrative Medicine. 13(4): 24-28.
Courses
Botanical Pharmacognosy Research
Advanced Extraction and Formulary Strategies
Product Development Case Studies
Formulating Herbal Products using Cannabis
Phytochemistry and Pharmacology
Microbiology
Herbal Product Quality Assurance
Plant Genetics
Plant Physiology
Science Writing
Safety of Botanical Medicine
Materia Medica II
Awards
Faculty Excellence and Innovation in Service Award, Maryland University of Integrative Health, 2021.
Research and Scholarship Award, Maryland University of Integrative Health, 2017.
The Emerson Grant, Expanding MUIH Herbal Dispensary Services to Support GMP Education of New Herbalists and Smaller Herbal Manufacturers, Emerson Ecologics, 2015.
Personal Narrative
Dr. Bhodi Tims started wandering at one month old, when his family moved from Glen Ridge, NJ to Bangkok Thailand. Moving often for a time, we lived in Hong Kong, Marburg Germany, Bucharest Romania, Thessaloniki Greece, Alexandria VA and Biloxi MS. English is the fourth language he learned to speak fluently, having first mastered Thai, Cantonese and German. He was a poet and modern dancer at William and Mary, and then George Mason Universities.
He entered into the world of finance as a stockbroker early in his career. before partnering in a health food store in Alexandria, VA, where his deep love for medicinal plants truly began.
A life-long poet, his poetry manuscript, The Acoustic Property of Ancient People, was published in 2019 by Finishing Line Press. The manuscript was a finalist in both the 12th Annual Dogfish Head Poetry Prize and the Brick House Books, New Poets Series.
A lover of blues, jazz and Latin percussion, he lives with his wife and daughters in Poolesville MD.
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