Professor David Holt

Professor David Holt has more than 50 years’ experience in laboratory medicine. He established an embedded company within St George’s, University of London, providing specialist laboratory services for the measurement of drugs and naturally occurring compounds. These services are currently used by NHS clinicians, HM Coroners, pathologists and law enforcement agencies.
Professor Holt is a frequent international speaker on a broad range of issues relating to prescription medicines and problems associated with the use of illicit drugs. In particular, he lectures and advises on clinical problems associated with substandard and falsified medicines sold in emerging nations. Of late he has made a number of presentations on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on drug development and supply chain resilience. He is the author of over 400 publications in peer reviewed journals and invited contributions to books. He is also a past President of the International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology.
His approach in talks to students who are in the process of developing their own career goals is to show, from personal experience, that there are many choices available and that the key to success is the ability to adapt to changing situations by means of continuing education. Underpinning this is the message that, even from a poor educational start, it is possible to gain high academic qualifications, develop a commercial business and achieve job satisfaction.