Tony Wang is in his fourth year of the British Columbia Institute of Technology / University of British Columbia Honours Degree Program in Biotechnology. This past summer, he worked as a Co-op student with the BCIT Natural Health and Food Products Research Group (NRG) at the BCIT Centre for Applied Research and Innovation.
Working closely with NRG Director Dr. Paula Brown and NRG research analyst Dr. Xiaohui Zhang, Tony focused on updating an analytical test method for the different types of Kratom products currently available to consumers in the US.
Kratom is a plant native to Southeast Asia, traditionally used for its stimulant and pain-relieving properties. In recent years kratom has gained popularity in North America with an estimated 16 million American consumers. With this interest, a wide variety of new products, such as gummies, chocolates and beverages have emerged. Most recently synthetic products, mislabelled as “kratom extract”, have received attention from public health authorities as a potential public risk.
“It is important analytical test methods are validated for the different product types commonly found in the market, including expanding the method scope to address emerging quality and safety concerns” commented Dr. Brown.
Building skills for a future in biotech
Working in our state-of the art Phytoanalytics Lab, Tony developed technical and professional skills he will apply to his future career. He’s learned to operate advanced analytical chemistry instruments, mastering techniques for precise sample preparation, and analyzing complex data.
“This co-op gave me insight into the world of research and the importance of accuracy in analytical work” says Tony. “It was a great opportunity to build meaningful connections and grow professionally in a supportive environment.”
Through hands-on applied research projects that tackle real-world industry challenges, students sharpen their critical thinking, build advanced technical skills, and emerge as tomorrow’s problem solvers.
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About NRG
BCIT’s Natural Health and Food Products Research Group (NRG) has provided training for 100s of students including: undergraduate students, cooperative education students, students conducting industry projects, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows.
NRG addresses issues of product quality, process improvement, and human health using basic and applied science and state-of-the-art technology. The goal of NRG is to ensure that all Canadians can achieve the potential health and economic benefits offered by medicinal plants, natural health products and the food industry.