Ronald C. Backer, Ph.D.,

Vice President, Toxicology

Dr. Backer has over thirty years’ experience in forensic toxicology. During his tenure, he has served as the laboratory director for multiple SAMHSA-certified laboratories. Dr. Backer served as the Chief Toxicologist of West Virginia 1976-1988 and Chief Toxicologist for the state of New Mexico 1988-1991. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT) (Certificate # 6), a Fellow of the Toxicology Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and a member of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists. In 1992, he became Laboratory Director of Harrison Laboratories in Midland, which he took to SAMHSA certification in June of that year. In December 1996, along with Mark Pace, he founded Universal Toxicology Laboratories (UTL); UTL became SAMHSA-certified in August 1997.  He also served as Director for UTL Florida, also a SAMHSA-certified Laboratory.

Dr. Backer received the “Ray Abernethy Award” as Outstanding Toxicologist in 1995. He has 80 publications and presentations in the area of forensic toxicology. Dr. Backer is an inspector for the ABFT and SAMHSA and currently is for the Department of Defense Military Drug Laboratories.