Bridging Academia and Industry: My Journey from Medicinal Plant Sciences to Cosmetic R&D

When I reflect back over my career to date, the route may appear unusual at first glance. My educational background was in biotechnology, where I studied microbiology, genetics, chemistry, biochemistry, and a bit of botany. That foundation drew me into the world of medicinal plants. This interest sparked during my undergraduate final year in a phytomedicine module. I was intrigued by the journey of many well-known medical drugs used today that were derived from plants, such as morphine, a natural alkaloid derived from resin extracts from the seeds of the opium poppy. Or the origin story of aspirin from salicin from willow bark, and thereafter being synthesized into a more effective, stable form, to what we have today. I began with a genuine, deeply rooted interest in how plants can be used to benefit human health or be the foundation for synthesizing more effective pharmaceuticals. Whether it be scientifically validating traditional remedies or… because this is science… debunking them. I wanted to know. I went ahead to pursue a master's degree in phytomedicine. My research work involved tuberculosis, which is one of the world's deadliest communicable diseases. I explored how a combination of long-used plants in traditional medicine and new, underexplored plants could act as adjuvants to mainstream TB medication, their potential herb-drug interactions, and the antimycobacterial potential of some of these plants against the causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The work was, no doubt, rigorous and full of many obstacles. Typical story for many academics. And don’t get me started on imposter syndrome. But in the end, I found it deeply rewarding. But, despite the gratification in the end, I came to realize the limitations of life in academia. Most times, the results of the work would likely end up being locked in papers, out of reach to ordinary people who might be helped by them. Funding may not always be guaranteed. And after many job applications and rejection emails, or being completely ghosted, I realized my job opportunities have also drastically narrowed.

My initial entry into the industry was a transition mixed with a handful of leftover faith and still hoping not to be ghosted by another recruiter. Today, I work as a cosmetic research and development scientist, developing formulations for a vast array of skincare products that address various skin concerns. Transferring to industry and into the cosmetics field involved a shift in how I apply science. In academic research, it’s about depth. You can spend decades delving into a single question and eventually find so many cures or answers that help humanity in the long run. In industry, it’s about breadth and speed. You need to figure out answers quickly, consider upscaling challenges, adapt fast when something does not work out, and keep going until you obtain a workable product that works both for the consumer and business and does not cost the company millions in one day. Respect for both sides of the coin.

What enabled me to connect the two worlds was the attitude I brought with me from academia: questioning everything, relying on data, and respecting the complexity of interactions, whether it be between medical drugs and plants or between emulsifiers and UV filters in sunscreen. But I needed to pick up flexibility, too. At times, the “ideal” formulation in theory would end up separating, and you need to think fast because the product launch is happening within a deadline, but you do not want to compromise on the science and time needed for stability testing, etc.

Another huge transformation was in communication. In research, you collaborate, learn new lab techniques, write papers, and review them. In industry, you are forced to step it up a notch and communicate with cross-functional teams, suppliers, regulators, and clients who might not be well-versed in scientific concepts. Translating technical results into concise, straightforward, consumer-friendly language has become so important and a major shift from being used to using complex words when having scientists be the target audience (and honestly, trying to sound smart because I wanted to impress and felt impressed by other well-established scientists around me). I learnt that it is okay and preferred to simplify things as much as you can.

The bridge between academia and industry isn’t about leaving one behind. It has been about finding ways to apply both. The same discipline and rigour of research is used now to solve practical problems in everyday industry life while trying to stay innovative and on top of current, fast-changing cosmetic trends. Cosmetic science might seem like a softer science than academic science or pharmaceutical research, but behind the scenes, we all just want to improve the well-being of others. That is the thread that ties it all together.

Bio: I am a Research and Development Assistant at a skincare company in South Africa. I hold a background in Biotechnology, and my interest in the medicinal properties of plants led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Phytomedicine. My research mainly focused on the antimycobacterial properties of certain plants that can be used as part of antituberculosis treatment. Now, I have delved into the world of cosmetic skincare because botanicals have been valued in the industry for a long time. Although the end goal has shifted from studying how plants can benefit human health against fatal diseases to exploring how plants and certain cosmetic raw material ingredients can address anti-ageing and skin concerns, the journey, excitement, curiosity, and scientific process remain the same.