Michael

Tims PhD

Department

Nutrition and Herbal Medicine

Programs I Teach 

Herbal Product Design and Manufacture MS
Cannabis Science Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Programs

Education

• BA in English/Writing from George Mason University Ph.D. in the Chemical Ecology of Medicinal Plants from the University of Maryland,
• College Park Post-Doctoral Fellowship,
• National Institutes of Health/National Institutes of Standards and Technology

Biography

Dr. Michael (Bhodi) Tims grew up all over the planet – Bangkok, Hong Kong, Marburg Germany, Stockholm, Bucharest and Thessaloniki Greece. He got his start in herbal medicine as managing partner in a health food store in Old Town Alexandria, VA, where he also trained to become a clinical herbalist. His real passion emerged there – researching the chemical ecology and clinical efficacy of medicinal plants. Currently he is director of Herbal Product Design and Manufacture MS and the Cannabis Science Certificate programs.

He has broad herbal research experience in product and formulary development, clinical application, analytical method development, and the chemical ecology of medicinal plants. He has provided research mentorship for both students and junior faculty in the Herbal Product Design and Cannabis Science programs at Notre Dame University of Maryland.

In additional, he is Vice-Chairperson Board of Directors, Verax Research Services, Inc., as well as the Scientific Advisor for Vitreon America, Inc. and Care Beyond Diagnosis directing cannabis and herbal product development for the cosmeceutical and supplement marketplace. He has also consulted with various companies.

Previous research efforts included the following:

• The role of lectins as signaling molecules in American Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum).
• The chemical ecology of Goldenseal (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.
• Conducted both greenhouse fungal/plant interaction and goldenseal field collection trials.
• Develop plant tissue culture methods for American Mistletoe and Goldenseal.
• Used ELISA methods to conduction detection of mycotoxins in plant root extracts.

His awards include:

1. Faculty Excellence and Innovation in Service Award: Maryland University of Integrative Health, 2021.
2. Research and Scholarship Award: Maryland University of Integrative Health, 2017.
3. Grant: Emerson Ecologics, Expanding MUIH Herbal Dispensary Services to Support GMP Education of New Herbalists and Smaller Herbal Manufacturers, 2015.
4. Grant: McCormick Science Institute, The effect of flavorings on the perceived digestive responses to the consumption of vegetable-based foods: a pilot study, 2013.
5. Fellowship: Paul Peck Humanities Institute's Smithsonian, 2011.
6. Postdoctoral Fellowship: National Institute of Standards and Technology and National Institutes of Health, Botanical Standard Reference Material, 2006-2009.
7. Lilly-East Fellowship: Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Maryland, 2006.

Scientific Research Articles

• Tims, M., Courie, J., & Betz, J. M. (2025). Using Chemical Ecology as a Guide for Development and Differentiation of Clinically Relevant Phytochemical Profiles in Cannabis Trichome. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 10.1177/25785125251391985. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/25785125251391985
• Dolan, K., Courie, J., & Tims, M. (2025). The Therapeutic Potential of Topically Applied Essential Oils in Preventing or Treating Early Borrelia burgdorferi Infection: A Review. Planta medica, 91(15), 866–879. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2640-4274

• 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. (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.
• Pengelly, A., Bennett K., Spelman, K.., and Tims, M.C.  (2012) Appalachian Plant Monograph Series: Goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis L.
• Sander, L.C., Sharpless, K.E., Wise, S.A., Bedner, M., Tims, M.C., Lieberman, R., Long, S.E., Wood, L.J., Porter, B., Day, R.D., Christopher, S.J., Molloy, J.L., Murphy, K.E., Lang, B.E., Yen, J.H., Nguyen Pho, A., Roman, M.C., Payne, M., Betz, J.M. (2011) Development and Certification of Green Tea-Containing Standard Reference Materials, Analytical Chemistry, 402:1, pp. 473-487.
• Tims, M.C., What do we know about how rhizosphere fungal ecology effects the quality of herbal medicine? Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation, Winter 2009.
• Tims M. and Bautista C., (2007) Effects of Root Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Hydrastis canadensis on Fusarium oxysporum isolated from Hydrastis Root Tissue, Journal of Chemical Ecology, 33:1449–1455.

Books

• Tims, M.C. (2008) The Chemical Ecology of Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L., Ranunculaceae): How medicinal plants roots control the microbial communities in their rhizosphere. VDM Verlag, Saarbracken Germany.
• Tims, M. (2018) The Acoustic Properties of Ancient People, Finish Line Press, Georgetown KY.

Book Chapters - General Audience

• Tims, M. (2020) How Spices Create Flavor. In B. Clare, Spice Apothecary: Blending and Using Common Spices for Everyday Health (pp.28-29). Storey Publishing.

Reviewer 

• Grants Reviewer, American Herbal Product Association Foundation for Education and Research on Botanicals (AHPA ERB Foundation), 2018-present.
• Journal Reviewer, The Journal of the AOAC International, 2018-present.
• Journal Reviewer, Journal of Natural Products, 2016-present.
• Journal Reviewer, BIOS: A Quarterly Journal of Biology, 2010-present.

Leadership Activities:

• NSF International Joint Committee on Dietary Supplements.
• American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, Analytical Advisory Committee.
• American Botanical Council (ABC), Advisory Board.
• American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Committee.
  • Tech and AI Innovation.
  • Botanical Raw Materials.
  • Cannabis.