Dr. Xiaohui Zhang is a researcher in the BCIT Natural Health and Food Products Research Group (NRG). With a PhD in natural product chemistry, Dr. Zhang’s research focus is isolating and extracting important plant phytochemicals from medicinal plants and formulating new and improved products for the health and wellness market.
What is your role with NRG?
I have been working in NRG for more than 15 years, although my collaboration with NRG Director, Dr. Paula Brown goes back to my time in industry. My research interest is improving the physical and medicinal characteristics of plant-derived ingredients and it is very much Industry-focused, for example helping a client improve the solubility or stability of their ingredient or product.
What inspired you to pursue a career in applied research?
I’m passionate about turning innovative ideas into practical solutions that create value. What motivates me most is seeing clients develop successful new products based on the innovative solutions I provided. Knowing that my work can help them generate value, solve real problems, and achieve commercial success is incredibly rewarding. This sense of impact and collaboration is what inspires me to continue working in applied research.
What kinds of projects does NRG work on?
Our team has been actively supporting the Natural Health Products (NHP) industry for more almost three decades. We focus on applied research projects such as product development, establishing quality standards, and ensuring regulatory compliance. These projects are important because they help companies bring safe, effective, and high‑quality natural health products to market, while also strengthening industry credibility and consumer trust.
What is a recent project you’re proud of?
Recently, we designed and optimizing an extraction process for a client. We were able to create a cost-effective and greener process that utilizes the clients existing equipment. This new process eliminated the costs and risks associated with using organic solvents, and established a stream-lined workflow from extraction through to packaging. Projects like this demonstrate how applied research can directly support industry innovation and create real value for the community.
Applied research is about solving real-world challenges. What challenge are you tackling right now?
One real‑world challenge our team is currently tackling involves helping clients incorporate non‑polar, poorly water‑soluble active compounds into water‑based products. Many companies want to develop food format products, but many of the beneficial plant bio-actives won’t dissolve in water.
To address this, I employ a variety of micro- and nano-based formulation technologies that significantly enhance the water dispersibility and stability of these ingredients. Using our technology and expertise we help clients successfully convert traditionally oil‑soluble bio-actives into clean, safe, and consumer‑friendly water‑based products.
What excites you most about the future?
What excites me most is the increasing variety of formulation challenges our clients bring to us. Some clients come with solubility problems, while others focus on taste, stability, or sensory expectations. What makes this especially exciting is that at NRG we can integrate expertise from both the food sector and the natural health products sector to meet these diverse needs.
Every time we succeed in creating a formulation that not only meets the solubility requirements but also delivers a pleasant taste and overall consumer experience, I feel genuinely excited. Seeing these innovations come together into a product that our clients can take directly to market is incredibly rewarding and motivates me to continue pushing the boundaries of applied research.
What advice would you give to students who to get involved in applied research?
My biggest advice for students or emerging researchers is to stay curious and stay close to real‑world problems. Applied research is not just about generating data — it’s about understanding what industry, communities, and end users actually need. The more you engage with real challenges, the more meaningful your work becomes.
Secondly, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Applied research often involves trial‑and‑error, experimenting with equipment, testing prototypes, and refining methods. This process is incredibly valuable because it teaches practical problem‑solving skills that you can’t learn from textbooks alone.
Finally, take every opportunity to collaborate. Working with industry partners, multidisciplinary teams, or even classmates from different backgrounds can open your eyes to new ideas and help you grow faster. Successful applied research thrives on teamwork, communication, and openness to new perspectives.
About NRG
BCIT Natural Health and Food Products Research Group (NRG) addresses issues of product quality, process improvement, and human health using basic and applied science along with 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.
This article was written with assistance from Microsoft CoPilot on January 18, 2025. Edited and fact-checked by Antoinette Jackson.