Grant development and managment
Student training program implementation
Cancer Biology
Underrepresented populations in higher education
Professional development and training
Trends in higher education
BS, Biology, Virginia Union University
PhD, Cell Biology, University of Virginia
Dr. Patrick Martin is a passionate cell biologist with a keen interest in microscopy, dedicated to developing innovative curricula, research training programs, and leadership development initiatives. He thrives on mentoring students, cultivating future leaders, and building high-performing academic units.
Currently, Dr. Martin serves as the Provost, Chief Academic and Research Officer at Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) in Charlotte, NC. Prior to this, he held the position of Vice President for the Division of Government Sponsored Programs and Research at JCSU. His previous roles include Dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Professor of Biology at JCSU, as well as Associate Professor in the Biology Department at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC. He also served as Interim Director of the Center for Outreach, Alzheimer’s, Aging, and Community Health at N.C. A&T, and completed a three-year assignment as Associate Dean in the College of Science and Technology.
Dr. Martin’s research focuses on developing therapeutics to inhibit cell migration, metastasis, and chemo-resistant growth. He has served as Principal Investigator on several grants, including an NIH Bridge-to-Doctorate training program that supports students from underrepresented backgrounds transitioning from master’s to PhD programs in biomedical, bioinformatic, and computational sciences. He also led a National Science Foundation statewide Alliance for Graduate Education to foster diverse future faculty and managed a sub-award for UNC-Chapel Hill’s T-32 Immunology training grant aimed at developing PhD scientists of color. His research has also been supported by the Department of Defense.
He has presented and published extensively on topics such as molecular regulation of brain tumors, breast and pancreatic cancers, natural cancer therapies, STEM workforce diversity, and mentorship best practices.
A dedicated advocate for diversifying the biomedical workforce, Dr. Martin is a Distinguished Mentor for the NIH-funded Baylor College of Medicine ‘All of Us’ genetics and genomics diversity program and mentors junior faculty through the American Society for Cell Biology. He has served as a standing reviewer for NSF programs, including Graduate Research Fellowships, INCLUDES, TUES, and LSAMP.
Dr. Martin earned his BS in Biology from Virginia Union University and completed his PhD in Cell Biology at the University of Virginia in 2003, becoming the first African American to do so there. He was twice supported as an UNCF-MERCK and American Psychological Association postdoctoral fellow, studying glioblastoma in the UVA neuropathology division. His academic career began at Fisk University in Nashville, TN, in 2005.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Dr. Martin is actively involved in community service, working with local nonprofits to develop leadership skills among adolescent African American males. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons, engaging in yardwork, golfing, grilling, and relaxing at the lake.