Jean Paul Martin, born in France in 1947, graduated in pharmacy in 1970, and received a Doctor in Pharmaceutical Science from Paris in 1973. He has been elected as a permanent member of the French Academy of Pharmacy. He developed his career in the pharmaceutical industry by creating, from a family pharmacy shop in the center of France, his own company in 1973, and developed it successfully in France and many countries, in the OTC and RX business. His company was purchased by the Joint Venture created between Merck and Johnson and Johnson in 1994.

After several years in this J.V., he continued his career as consultant or employee for several US companies. He is retired since the end of 2013.

He is married to Marie-Reine and they had two sons.

They are CoFounders of the Foundation for Burkitt Lymphoma Research. They decided to create this Foundation in the end of 2009 because their older son Xavier was hit by B. L. In July 2009, and passed away from a relapse in May 2010 despite several months of a very heavy treatment.