Richard J Martin

BVSc, PhD, DSc, Dip ECVPT, MRCVS
Clarence Hartley Covault Distinguished Professor
Dr. E.A. Benbrook Endowed Chair in Pathology and Parasitology
Biomedical Sciences
515-294-2470
2018 Vet Med
ISU Directory Link
Education & Certifications  
  • BVSc, 1968-72, University of Liverpool
  • MRCVS, 1972-Present, Member of the Royal College  of Veterinary Surgeons                                   
  • Diploma in Neurophysiology, 1972-73, University of Edinburgh 
  • PhD, 1973-77, University of Liverpool
  • DSc, Doctor of Science, 1997 University of Edinburgh 
  • Dip ECVPT: Diplomate European College of Vet Pharmacology & Toxicology, 1998
Teaching  
  • 2000-2017                          Instructor-in-charge, TOX 501, Pharmacokinetics Graduate Toxicology
  • 2000-2017                          Instructor-in-charge, TOX 502, Instructor in charge Graduate Toxicology Laboratory Techniques
  • 2000-2017                          Instructor-in-charge, BMS 443, DVM, Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology
  • 2000-2017                          Instructor-in-charge, BMS 354, DVM, Veterinary General Pharmacology
  • 2000-2017                          Instructor-in-charge, Neuro 556, Ion-channels, Chemical Transmitters and Neuropharmacology
  • 2000-2017                          Instructor-in-charge, BMS 575, Graduate Cell Biology
Research Focus & Interests  

It is very important to understand the mode of action of drugs (pharmacology).  My teaching focuses on those drugs that acts on ion-channels and includes the action of cardiac drugs, drugs that act on nematode parasites, with classes for neuroscience and toxicology graduate students and DVM students. 

We are interested in molecular and cellular pharmacology with a focus on drugs that act on ion-channels of nematodes, including those parasites that cause disease in humans in the developing world and in animals.  

Our work is supported by NIH and NSF and involves molecular, cellular, pharmacological, electrophysiological, Xenopus expression and microfluidic techniques to study the effects of drugs like emodepside, pyrantel, derquantel and ivermectin on a range of membrane ion-channels. We study a range of nematodes including, C. elegans, Brugia malayi, Ascaris suum, Oesophagostomum dentatum and Haemonchus contortus.  We encourage potential graduate students and post-doctoral researchers to contact us if they are interested in our research.

Honors & Awards  
  • D.Sc., University of Edinburgh
  • Member NIH College of CSR  Reviewers
  • K22 Ad hoc K22 NIH/NIAID
  • SBIR Grant ZRG1 NIH/NIAID
  • Ad hoc Study section NIH NIAID’s Microbiology and Infectious Diseases B Subcommittee (MID-B).
  • Ad hoc Study section NIH Special Emphasis Panel, Pathogenic Eukaryotes (PTHE)
Leadership/Committees/Council  
  • Professor and Chair, Department of Biomedical  Sciences
  • NIH, PTHE study section
  • Co Chair Neuroscience program
  • Chair &  DOGE Interdepartmental Toxicology program
  • Chair & DOGE BMS Graduate Program
  • Editorial Board Veterinary Record
  • Chair Education and Residency Committee European College, Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology
Memberships  
  1. Member of the Physiological Society
  2. Member of the British Pharmacological Society
  3. Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS)
  4. Member of the British Society of Parasitology
  5. Diplomate of the European College for Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ECVPT)
  6. American Association of Veterinary Parasitology
  7. American Society of Veterinary Parasitology
  8. Society for Toxicology
Selected Publications  

 Recent Publications 

  1. Peng L, Depeng M., Martin R.J. and Dong, L.  (2012). An integrated fiber-optic microfluidic device for multicellular organismal biomechanics.  Lab on a Chip,12, 3458-3466
  2. Charvet, C.L., Robertson, A.P., Cabaret, J., Neveu, C. and Martin, R.J. (2012).   Selective effect of the anthelmintic bephenium on Haemonchus contortus levamisole-sensitive. Invertebrate Neuroscience.  Invertebrate Neuroscience (2012) 12, 43–51 DOI 10.1007/s10158-012-0130-0
  3. Martin, R.J. Robertson, A.P. Buxton, S.K. Beech R. Charvet,C.L. and Neveu, C. and (2012). Levamisole Receptors: a second awakening.  Trends in Parasitology, 28 289-296.   
  4. R. J. Martin, S.K. Buxton, C. Neveu, C. L. Charvet, and A. P. (2011) Emodepside and SL0-1 Potassium Channels: A Review.  Experimental Parasitology.  doi:10.1016/j.exppara.2011.08.012 
  5. Chen, B., Deutmeyer, A., Carr, R, Robertson, A.P. Martin, R.J., and Pandey S. (2011) Microfluidic bioassay to characterize parasitic nematode phenotype and anthelmintic resistance. Parasitology, 138, 80-88
  6. S.K. Buxton, C. Neveu, C. L. Charvet, A. P. Robertson, and R. J. Martin (2011). On the Mode of Action of Emodepside: Slo(w) Effects on Membrane Potential and Voltage-Activated Currents in Ascaris suum. British Journal of Pharmacology.  164: 453–470
  7. Carr, J.A., Parashan, A., Gibson, R., Robertson, A.P., Martin, R.J., Pandey, S. (2011). A microfluidic platform for high-sensitivity, real-time drug screening on C. elegans and parasitic nematodes. Lab on a Chip. 11, 2385-2396.
  8.  Beech R.N., Skuce, P., Bartley, D.J. Martin, R.J., Pritchard, R.K. and Gilliard, J.S. (2011) Anthelmintic resistance: markers for resistance or susceptibility?  Parasitology, 138, 2, 160-174.
  9. Robertson, A.P., Puttachary, S. and Martin, R.J. (2011). Single-channel recording from adults Brugia malayi. Invertebrate Neuroscience, 11, 53-57. 

Link to PubMed