As a systems, operations and business expert, Martha lead the turn-around of the largest $5B mortgage default in US history returning it to profitability of $120M in just four years and returning all the capital to the lenders. An impressive track record of career success, science was not necessarily Martha R. Carlin’s niche.

It was her husband’s diagnosis in 2002 that led her to seek out information to solve Parkinson’s Disease. Noticing a connection between Parkinson’s Disease and the gut, Carlin saw the need to accelerate research in the microbiome and product development, not just in Parkinson’s but across the field. As a result, she launched The BioCollective in 2015, gaining respect in the life science BioTechnology industry.

“I taught myself chemistry, physics, biochemistry, microbiology, soils biology, genetics and much more that has gained me a great deal of respect in a highly-educated industry,” she said. Carlin now describes herself as a self-taught citizen scientist.

“Over the past five years, we have become the industry experts in whole fecal microbiome sample collection and reference materials, landing a $1.2 million NIH grant. We now have a relationship as the sole supplier of reference materials for the National Institutes of Standards and Technology at the Department of Commerce,” she said.

In the next five years, Carlin expects The BioCollective to grow rapidly with the Microbiome Industry providing unique services in clinical trial sample collection and Microbiome Reference Standards through their TruMatrix™ products. Partnering with the company’s sister agricultural firm PaleoBiotic, Carlin said that the plan is to launch new products in the agricultural microbiome field thereby continuing to expand the reputation of The BioCollective as an industry leader and product innovator. Carlin has led the filing of 7 patents and launched three new products in the last year. 

“I have been able to anticipate and see where this exciting new industry is heading and be ahead of the curve along the way,” she said. “Our success stems from creativity, collaboration, tenacity and vision.”

Now recognized as an industry expert, Carlin routinely speaks at Microbiome Conferences, Global Engage San Diego and Future of Food London events, as well as Translational Microbiome Boston, NutrEvent France and ISBER China. In 2016, Carlin was the only non-scientist invited to speak at the White House Microbiome Initiative.

As a leader, Carlin said it is important to expect the unexpected and adapt. “We will remain influential in our industry by continuing to lead with creativity and execution in this emerging field,” she said. For her tenacity, perseverance and cutting-edge work in biotechnology, Carlin has been named a Titan of industry.

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