Dr. David M. Martin

Chairman of the Board

Over the past 30 years, Dr. Martin has not only designed research and commercial laboratory systems, but has successfully transferred several research technologies into the private sector. He has served as the CEO and/or founder of five (5) profitable businesses including one that was publicly traded. He has also coordinated mergers and acquisitions and consulted with professional sports, academic and Fortune 500 companies nationally and internationally. His current interests are to research and invest in early stage medical technology companies with a focus on nanotechnology, substance abuse, international law enforcement and anti-terrorism technologies.

Author and co-author of over one hundred articles, abstracts, presentations and book chapters on the biochemical basis and management of psychiatric and substance abuse disorders, Dave Martin was a Neurochemist, Technical Specialist and Research Associate at Yale University School of Medicine, Departments of Psychiatry, Neurobehavior and Neuropsychopharmacology from 1973-1978. While there he designed and implemented research technologies to identify the origins of brain neurotransmitter metabolites as part of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) collaborative study on the Psychobiology of Depression. These studies helped establish the foundation of the clinical significance of laboratory testing in identifying the biological basis of psychiatric and substance abuse disorders.

In 1978, he founded Psychiatric Diagnostic Laboratories of America (PDLA) one of the first clinical laboratories to specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric and substance abuse disorders. PDLA was also one of the first clinical laboratories to receive Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS, originally NIDA) certification to perform workplace drug testing under federal guidelines.

Through 1989 he served as Vice President and General Manager, Laboratory Administrator and Director of Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Research. During this period of time he coordinated various research projects, made numerous scientific presentations, developed Cortitest®, the first non-invasive laboratory test for depression and established several corporate and sport drug testing programs. In 1986, he designed and coordinated the first drug-testing program in Professional Tennis during the Championships at Wimbledon.

From 1990-1998, he served as the Anti-Doping Administrator for the ATP Tour and WTA tour, and in 1994 for the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to coordinate anti-doping testing consistent with International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines at the Federation Cup, Davis Cup and Grand Slam competitions internationally. While in that capacity he designed the drug testing facilities at Roland Garros in Paris, The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon, Melbourne Park in Australia and USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows. He also conducted the first ever drug testing at all the Grand Slam Tennis events as well as in the Men’s and Women’s tennis circuits.

In 1993, he was appointed Independent Drug Program Administrator for the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), the largest international motor sports sanctioning body, and coordinated the first drug and alcohol-testing program in Professional Motor Sports consistent with DHHS criteria.

From 1995-1998 he was appointed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Medical Commission Special Sub-Commission on the Harmonization of Sports Anti-Doping Programs Worldwide. He was also the Official Delegate to oversee and coordinate the testing at the Olympic Tennis competitions in Atlanta in 1996 Summer Olympic Games.

In 1988, he founded FirstLab, a clinical laboratory and information management system designed to service FHC Health Systems, Inc, one of the largest providers of psychiatric and substance abuse treatment in America. FirstLab evolved into one of the nation’s first and largest specialized drug and alcohol testing Third Party Administration (TPA) company servicing both business and sports clients internationally. It rapidly expanded to include Medical Review Officer (MRO) and Substance Abuse Provider (SAP) services.

In 1998 he developed for FHC Health Systems a Clozapine Support Services Program in Phoenix AZ one of the largest Regional Behavioral Health Authorities in America. This program evolved into the establishment of Rx Innovations, Inc; a behavioral health care specialty pharmacy system that served thousands of psychiatric patients in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area.

In 1998 he also focused on the development of drug testing programs for several impaired professional programs. He founded and built the largest provider of impaired professional drug testing programs nationwide within FirstLab. This program is highly computerized and services state and professional associations for physicians, nurses, lawyers, pharmacists, teachers and other professionals. It is currently the largest in the nation.

In 2000, in response to the specialized needs of the Clozapine Support Services Program, he coordinated the establishment of a full service clinical laboratory in Phoenix Arizona. This laboratory is licensed under CLIA to perform not only routine clinical work but toxicology as well. This laboratory served as a model for building another laboratory in Virginia Beach to reduce costs and open up new revenue streams for FHC Health Systems.

In 2002 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA) and has served on both the By-laws and Legislative Committees. In 2006 he was elected Treasurer of the organization and appointed to the Executive Committee and re-elected in 2008 for an additional two year term.

In 2004 he was made Vice President of Research and Development for FHC Health Systems, the parent corporation of FirstLab and Rx Innovations. His focus is to explore the emerging area of nanotechnology and the new business opportunities it offers in health care and over a wide range of industries.

In 2005 he was appointed to the World Psychiatric Association, Special Section on Exercise, Health and Psychiatry focusing on the psychiatric effects of drug abuse in sports and society. He also founded JMJ Technologies Inc. a private medical investment and consulting firm.

In 2007 he co-invented and submitted a patent in cooperation with the University of Florida Docket No.UF-600P “DEVICES AND METHODS FOR THE COLLECTION AND DETECTION OF SUBSTANCES”. He then appointed a courtesy professorship in the University of Florida’s School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry.

In 2009 he was appointed Scientific Team Director for a US State Department project to note the addiction of women and children in Afghanistan to opium. This work was first presented at the annual meeting of the College on the Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD). It has now expanded into a nationwide drug abuse survey in Afghanistan as part of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement efforts to reduce poppy cultivation in Afghanistan.

In 2010 he was elected Chairman of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Association (DATIA), the largest drug and alcohol testing industry association in the world.

In 2011 he was made Vice President of Nanjing Pharmaceutical, Co Ltd, Zhongjian Kexin Division in Nanjing China. His assignment is to form a new company Nanjing International Laboratories to be a model drug testing/clinical laboratory and establish TPA, MRO and SAP systems in China using the US federal drug testing systems as a starting point. This project was halted when Nanjing Pharmaceutical entered into negotiations with Alliance Boots.  His DATIA term as Chairman ended in 2012.