Dr Bunmi Ibrahim obtained her first degree in Industrial Chemistry from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Nigeria. Here, she carried out in vivo studies into the gastric antisecretory activity of Bryophyllum pinnatum. She moved to the UK and obtained MSc Food Science and Technology from University of Lincoln with research into the use of headspace solid-phase microextraction-GCMS as a marker for quality audit in the characterisation of balsamic vinegars.
She went on to do a PhD in Bioorganic chemistry at the University of Leicester (Bernard Rawlings group) where she investigated studies towards the isolation and purification of novel in vivo analogues of amphotericin B produced by Streptomyces nodosus. She developed a novel purification protocol that could be used to purify some of the analogues at decigram levels and successfully isolated and characterised a new non-toxic in vivo analogue of amphotericin B. Her postdoctoral research was also at the University of Leicester (Andrew Jamieson’s research group), where she explored the synthesis of semi-synthetic peptides as epitopes for the management of Alzheimer’s disease.
She then followed her love for teaching to spend five years as the head of Health and Life Science at De Montfort University International College, where she developed about 3 programmes from scratch seeing them through validations and accreditations with various PSRBs, university periodic and QAA reviews. After this, she worked as a lecturer, and then senior lecturer in Medical Science in the School of Allied Health Science, De Montfort University. In this role, she was the module lead (Chemistry for the Biosciences, and Cancer therapeutics) and admissions tutor, responsible for open days, conversion events and outreaches. She was also the admissions tutor and Deputy programme lead for the MSc Advanced Biomedical Science programme.
Her research interests involve both pedagogical and scientific research. Her pedagogical research investigates enhancing student experience by evaluating existing support provided by the university with a view to influence practice in Higher Education Institutions. This has involved:
- Working with students to co-create an effective framework for inclusive assessments.
- Exploring interventions to improve student retention and support with a focus on improving sense of belonging.
Basic scientific research: Repurposing food and pharmaceutical waste.
Food waste: The aim is to develop alternate and more sustainable strategies for the management
of metabolic diseases, using in vitro gastric digestion models to explore molecular interactions that can enhance the gut microbiota and improve the bioavailability of bioactive compounds. For example, exploring the use of anthocyanins from food waste, as a source of antioxidants for food fortification.
Pharmaceutical waste: The aim is to develop a more sustainable protocol for the derivatisation of macrolide antibiotics to produce novel compounds as part of the solution for antimicrobial resistance. For example, exploring the use of amphotericin A, a waste product during the biosynthesis of amphotericin B, as an alternative antimicrobial.