Long before Lisa Martin became one of HORIBA's leading voices in veterinary diagnostics, she was a young girl growing up on the outskirts of Birmingham, England, captivated by animals and the mysteries of the natural world.
Raised in a suburban community just outside the city, Lisa came from a family with little scientific background. Her mother worked in office administration, eventually becoming a clerk in an export office, while her father worked in maintenance engineering. Her parents didn’t work in science or education, yet from an early age Lisa felt drawn toward a path that neither of them had followed.
Her fascination with animals bemused her parents at first. The family didn't own pets, but that didn't matter. Lisa was enthralled by dogs, cats, horses, and wildlife of every kind. Whenever a David Attenborough nature program appeared on TV, she was glued to the screen.
"I knew when I was at school that I wanted to work in the veterinary profession," she recalls.
There was only one other career she seriously considered. As a teenager, Lisa dreamed about becoming a police dog handler, working alongside highly trained service animals. But at that time, less than perfect eyesight made that path impossible. Veterinary medicine remained and quickly became the clear choice.
While still in school, Lisa received her first real exposure to the profession through a two-week work placement at a local veterinary clinic. The opportunity came thanks to a supportive mathematics teacher who helped arrange the experience through her own veterinarian.
Lisa threw herself into every task that came her way. Whether it involved cleaning kennels, helping around the clinic, or making tea, she volunteered enthusiastically. More importantly, the experience revealed the reality of veterinary medicine.
Many people imagine a profession filled with playful puppies and cuddly kittens. Lisa discovered something far more complex.
The work was demanding. It involved cleaning, inventory management, regulations, administration, and difficult emotional moments. She learned that veterinary medicine requires both scientific expertise and a willingness to roll up your sleeves and do whatever is needed. It’s not a nine to five profession.
Rather than discouraging her, the experience strengthened her commitment.
"It taught me the breadth and depth of veterinary work," she says.
Instead of pursuing a traditional higher education route immediately after school, Lisa accepted a position in a companion animal hospital and began training as a veterinary nurse, the UK equivalent of a veterinary technician. Working with dogs, cats, and exotic animals, she gained hands-on experience while building the scientific knowledge that would shape the rest of her career.
As she matured in the profession, her interest evolved from a love of animals into something deeper: a passion for understanding the science that helps them.
One realization in particular left a lasting impression.
Animals cannot explain what hurts or describe their symptoms. Veterinary professionals must become detectives, piecing together evidence from examinations and diagnostic tests. Even in the 1980s, Lisa saw how laboratory data could transform a vague set of symptoms into a clear diagnosis.
A dog drinking excessive amounts of water, for example, could have diabetes or kidney disease, two very different conditions requiring very different treatments. The animal cannot tell the veterinarian what it feels. Lab work provides the missing pieces.
"These diagnostic tools are the essential parts of the jigsaw where everything goes together," she explains.
That understanding became a defining theme throughout her career.
After working in clinical practice, Lisa moved into the pharmaceutical industry with Novartis. Later, she returned to veterinary practice as a practice manager. When her children were young, the management role offered a different perspective on the profession, but the pull of science never disappeared, and she committed to never stop learning. Advanced Veterinary Nursing Qualifications were followed by the Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority Certificate for the supply of prescription medicines; Teaching, Training and Coaching went alongside Accountancy, with the Certificate in Veterinary Practice Management coming later. Her Institute of Leadership and Management qualification led to Charted Manager status, with additional workplace accreditations along the way, covering training, coaching and mental health first aid, also enabling her to support colleagues.
In 2016, she joined HORIBA and returned to the scientific side of veterinary medicine. Initially focused on sales and customer support, she helped veterinary clinics expand their diagnostic capabilities and ensure that testing systems delivered the best possible results.
Now working with advanced laboratory equipment, along came a new set of skills, and scientific learning returned, with the principles of testing across hematology, clinical chemistry, coagulation, blood gases, immunology and PCR technology. Working with veterinary teams, expert colleagues and industry specialists ensures that every day is still a school day. As knowledge of healthcare grows, Lisa understands that we must move forwards with it.
As her experience grew, so did her responsibilities.
Today, Lisa's role spans sales, technical support, product development, marketing, training, budgeting, customer engagement, and business leadership within HORIBA's veterinary division in the United Kingdom, plus collaborating with colleagues for international projects. She works closely with clinics throughout the customer journey, from identifying diagnostic needs and installing equipment to troubleshooting complex testing issues and helping practices maximize the value of their laboratory tools.
At the heart of her work remains a commitment to improving animal health through faster and more accurate diagnoses.
That mission feels especially important today. In the UK, outbreaks of equine influenza continue to challenge veterinarians and horse owners. Through rapid PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) testing solutions, clinics can identify infected animals in just 85 minutes. That's a dramatic improvement over the days it can take when samples must be sent to a reference laboratory.
For Lisa, advances like these represent more than technological achievements.
These help prevent disease spread, improve patient outcomes, and support more responsible use of medicines such as antibiotics. By helping veterinarians make informed treatment decisions, diagnostics contribute not only to animal welfare but also to broader public-health goals.
"We genuinely make a difference," she says.
For Lisa, that impact is not merely professional. It is deeply personal.
In her office sits a cherished black-and-white photograph of her beloved cat, Carrot, a name that always amused people because, as she points out with a smile, "he was actually super orange." Carrot entered her life as a stray kitten who had been brought into the veterinary practice where Lisa worked. He quickly became part of the family and remained so for more than seventeen years.
Over the course of his life, Carrot provided Lisa with first-hand reminders of the power of veterinary diagnostics.
As a middle-aged cat, he began losing weight rapidly despite having a tremendous appetite, often helping himself to food that was never intended for feline consumption. He became restless and unsettled, and something clearly wasn't right. Blood tests soon revealed the cause: an overactive thyroid. With a diagnosis in hand, Carrot received appropriate treatment at a specialist center and quickly returned to his usual healthy, contented self.
Years later, Lisa noticed subtle changes again. Carrot was drinking more water and beginning to lose weight. Once more, laboratory testing provided critical answers. Blood work showed elevated renal values associated with age-related kidney disease. Because the condition was identified early, dietary adjustments were introduced before the disease progressed significantly. Those relatively simple changes helped maintain his quality of life and allowed him to remain an active, happy member of the family for years longer.
The extra time was invaluable. By then, Lisa's children had grown up with Carrot and could scarcely remember life without him. Thanks in part to timely diagnosis and appropriate care, he lived to the remarkable age of 17½ years.
Stories like Carrot's reinforce what Lisa has believed throughout her career: behind every test result is an animal, a family, and an opportunity to improve a life.
"Diagnostics aren't just numbers on a report," she says. "They help us understand what's happening inside an animal and give us the chance to make better decisions. In Carrot's case, they gave us more years together."
That sense of purpose extends beyond Lisa's day-to-day responsibilities and far beyond the walls of veterinary clinics.
One of her most significant contributions at HORIBA has been championing education across the veterinary profession. Recognizing the growing demand for accessible continuing professional development (CPD), Lisa became the driving force behind the creation of HORIBA's free veterinary webinar series. Working with leading independent specialists, key opinion leaders, and veterinary experts, she helped build a platform where practical knowledge and real-world experience could be shared with veterinary teams across the profession, in the comfort of their own surroundings, and at a time of their choice
The program has grown into a substantial educational resource. Today, 16 webinars are available through HORIBA's website, with more to come, providing more than 26 hours of educational content. The topics span a remarkable range of veterinary interests, including exotic parasites, equine biosecurity, strangles, raw feeding, haematology, and respiratory diseases.
The webinars provide veterinary professionals with valuable resources that support both their CPD requirements and the practical challenges they face in day-to-day clinical practice. They also reinforce HORIBA's commitment to supporting veterinary professionals beyond diagnostic solutions, sharing knowledge and expertise that help practices deliver the best possible care.
The impact of the program has been considerable. To date, the webinar series, which is also available on HORIBA UK's YouTube channel, has attracted more than 11,000 views, reflecting the strong demand for accessible, expert-led veterinary education and the lasting value it continues to provide to the profession.
"We want to help veterinary teams make the best possible decisions for their patients," Lisa says. "Sharing knowledge is one of the most effective ways we can do that."
Education has become a recurring theme throughout Lisa's career. In addition to supporting veterinary professionals, she is deeply committed to inspiring future generations to explore careers in science and animal health.
Lisa serves as a governor at the primary school her children once attended, where she regularly participates in classroom activities, career discussions, and science outreach initiatives. She has also supported STEM engagement programs that introduce young people to opportunities within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Her commitment to community education extends even further. Lisa recently delivered a career-focused session for the children's club at Ride High, a charity that helps vulnerable children build confidence and skills through horses and educational programs and that HORIBA has been proudly supporting since 2025. Through activities like these, she helps young people broaden their understanding of the career opportunities available to them, particularly those that combine science, compassion, and a desire to make a difference.
For Lisa, these outreach efforts are a natural extension of the work she does every day.
"Whether you're helping a veterinary team, a student, or a child who is just beginning to think about their future, it's all about sharing knowledge and opening doors," she says.
Lisa emphasizes that students should experience these professions firsthand whenever possible. The reality of veterinary medicine is rewarding, but it can also be emotionally demanding, and she believes it's important for aspiring professionals to understand both sides before committing to the field.
Her passion for science has even inspired the next generation within her own family. Her daughter, Molly, earned a degree in zoology and now works in ecology and conservation, protecting vulnerable species and their habitats across the United Kingdom.
Looking back on nearly four decades in animal health, Lisa sees a career shaped by curiosity, compassion, education, and a desire to make a meaningful difference.
What began as a childhood love of animals grew into something much larger: a lifelong vocation grounded in science and dedicated to helping others learn. From the most basic tasks such as cleaning cages as a work-experience student to helping veterinary teams diagnose disease more quickly and accurately, creating widely viewed educational resources, and inspiring the next generation through STEM and community outreach, Lisa has spent her career turning scientific knowledge into better outcomes for animals and the people who care for them. Even in those early days, committing to getting things right and working to a high standard means the best in patient care and management, and those principles never change.
And after all these years, her enthusiasm remains unmistakable.
"It's been an absolute vocation," she says. "I've loved working in this industry."
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