Dr Sundus Tewfik (Researcher) UK

Dr Sundus Tewfik is the founder of Bloomsnano Ltd., [October 2019]. As Executive Director and Chief Sustainability Officer, Dr Tewfik leads Bloomsnano as centre of excellence for science-informed products, e.g., digital therapeutics (serious games embedded with AI), medical foods and nanomedicine, which are devoted to improving and enhancing public health globally.

Dr Tewfik completed her Biology BSc at University of Firat, Turkey and MSc. Applied Microbiology at University of Westminster, UK. In 1994, Sundus joined St. Mary’s Hospital, as an intern at Cytology and Cytogenetics Departments. In 1995, she took a post in Cytology Department, to train as a Biomedical Scientist, becoming State Registered Biomedical Scientist in March 1998. In October 1998, Dr Tewfik returned to academia as PhD researcher at University of Westminster working on bioactive compounds from Anacyclus pyrethrum. She served as a research assistant supporting the operations of the greenhouse, care for a variety of plants (horticulture) and the cell culture laboratory, as well as care for a variety of marine phytoplankton.

In 2000, Sundus was appointed as Research Fellow to the newly formed inter departmental (School of Bioscience and School of Integrated Health) and industry (Neal’s Yard Remedies) research group for Quality Control and Assurance of Herbal Products. She was instrumental in the design and implementation of the project’s phases; from cultivation of plants at Highgrove, Duchy Home Farm, preparing herbal remedies at The Centre for Community Care and Primary Health Clinic to laboratory testing of plant extracts at the Biosciences Laboratories. She received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Pharmacognosy in 2004 from University of Westminster.

Dr Tewfik consultancies portfolio included the analyses of UV Protective Plant Extracts for Neal’s Yard Remedies [2007- 2010]; Analysis of macro and micronutrients profile of natural products employed to develop tailored functional recipe (TFR) model meals for University of Westminster [April - July 2012]; Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds in sampled Drinking Water for Qatar General Electricity and Water Corp, Qatar, [2008]. Risk Assessment and Management of Radioactive Compounds in sampled Drinking Water Saudi Food and Drug Administration – SFDA [2015]; Investigation into the utility of phytosterols and phytostanols in the management of hyperlipidaemia in the context of Nepal funded by Newton Fund (British Council) [2017].

Dr Tewfik has significantly contributed to policy development with her quality research and key publications. In 2007 she participated in Parliamentary Group for Integrated and Complementary Healthcare, House of Commons, London, UK and in 2019 she was invited as keynote speaker in Medicinal and Aromatic plant Agriculture and Value-added Product Development, Parliamentary commission, Turkish Parliament, Ankara, Turkey.

Between 2000-2018 Dr Tewfik has taught at various higher and further education institutions in UK, e.g., University of Westminster, City of Westminster College, London Metropolitan University. She always enriched the course of teaching in sciences by encouraging her students to conduct impactful experiments which have industrial applications, becoming active participants to their own learning and share their ‘know-how’ and ‘demonstrate-how’ with their peers to improve the community.