David Compton

David was born and raised in Missouri where he received his BA degree in Chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis. Subsequently he received his PhD from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Texas Medical Brach in Galveston. His dissertation research, funded in part by an Individual Predoctoral Grant from the Scottish Rite Schizophrenia Foundation, was on the dopaminergic and cholinergic neurotransmission effects of antipsychotic medications. At graduation David received both the Academic Excellence Award and the Jason E. Perlman Research Award. He conducted postdoctoral research on the neuropharmacology of drugs of abuse at the MCV (Medical College of Virginia) campus of VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) in Richmond. During his career as Assistant and Associate Professor at MCV-VCU in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, David taught professional students (medical, pharmacy, etc), was the Advisor and/or Committee member of graduate (Masters and PhD) students, and continued research on drugs of abuse funded by NIDA grants (as Individual [Primary Investigator], as Co-Investigator, and as part of a multi-faculty Center Grant) on cannabinoids, stimulants, and anabolic steroids. David published extensively in peer reviewed journals, co-authored books on abuse liability, and co-authored chapters in medical pharmacology texts. One of his more prized accomplishments was the Students’ Choice Award for Faculty of the Year in 1994. Though still currently an Affiliate Associate Professor at VCU, after leaving academia, David gained valuable GLP (Good Laboratory Practices) experience in preclinical / nonclinical toxicology as a Study Director on FDA-mandated regulatory studies in general toxicology, reproductive toxicology, and safety pharmacology while working for Huntingdon Life Sciences, a CRO (Contract Research Organization) at the Princeton Research Center in New Jersey. Subsequently, he was an Associate and then Principal Scientist at the Schering-Plough Research Institute focussing on drug development as the Drug Safety Evaluation representative to Project Teams, prior to his positions as Principal Scientist and currently Lead - Toxicologist and Project Team Expert within Preclinical Safety at Sanofi U.S. in New Jersey, where he has served since 2007 as a Subject Matter Expert with the DALA (Drug Abuse Liability Assessment) group advising Project Teams on development issues related to abuse potential of NMEs [New Molecular Entity(ies)].

David has 30 years of combined academic, contract laboratory, and pharmaceutical experience in the fields of neuroscience/neuropharmacology, abuse liability/assessment, education, study directing, toxicology, and preclinical drug development.