Professor Rick Speare

Experience

Rick Speare graduated in Veterinary Science (1970) and Medicine (1975) from the University of Queensland, Brisbane . His postgraduate studies were at James Cook University, Townsville and for his thesis of "Studies on the taxonomy of Strongyloides (Nematoda: Strongyloididae)" he was awarded a PhD in 1987.

From 1978 to 1986 Rick also worked on diseases of Australian marsupials, particularly macropods, and had the priviledge of working with Dr Ian Beveridge, arguably Australia's most productive nematode taxonomist. A series of publications on macropod parasites and diseases resulted from this work.

In 1986-87 Rick worked as a clinician at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi. His mentor during this time was Dr Tony Harries, and they coauthored several papers together.

After returning from Africa, in 1988 Rick took up a position as Research Fellow at the Graduate School of Tropical Veterinary Science and Agriculture, James Cook University, subsequently modified to the School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences . His brief was to investigate the diseases and pathogens of cane toads, Bufo marinus , in Australia with the aim of finding a microbiological agent that could be used as a biological control agent . No agent suitable for biological control of B. marinus was found in Australia, although the team found two iridoviruses and a pathogenic fungus:

 a large iridovirus in B. marinus in Costa Rica (Speare et al. 1991)

 the ranavirus, Bohle Iridovirus (BIV), in the Ornate Burrowing Frog, Limnodynastes ornatus, in Townsville

 the dimorphic fungus, Mucor amphibiorum , that naturally infected toads and frogs in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

The knowledge and skills acquired during the cane toad disease work have been applied since 1993 to investigate the causes of amphibian declines in the Queensland wet tropics and other regions of eastern Australia. This work resulted in the discovery of a new fungal pathogen, the amphibian chytrid, that is the cause of an emerging infectious disease in amphibian populations globally.

In 1991 Rick changed career paths again, and accepted the position of Director of the Anton Breinl Centre for Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, functioning in this position until November 1992 when the Centre became part of the Department of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Academically these were unproductive years, but during this time Rick became the foundation President for the The Aus tralasian College of Tropical Medicine . He fulfilled this role between May 1991 and June 1996.

After November 1992 Rick focused research activities on control of communicable diseases in humans and other animals with active research programs in both areas. Since 1991 a major activity has been development of a public health workforce to practice in rural and remote tropical populations.

Academic and professional interests

Rick Speare is a Professor with the School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences and Director of the Anton Breinl Centre for Public Health and Tropical Medicine. His main interest is in infectious diseases and their control. His areas of special expertise are human parasitology and amphibian diseases.

Role within the School:

• Act as director of the Anton Breinl Centre.

• Teach postgraduate health professionals tropical medicine and public health, particularly the infectious and parasitic aspects with an emphasis on how these infections can be diagnosed and managed in individuals and controlled within communities.

• Supervise research students.

• Do research on diseases with a focus on answering questions that will improve health status of humans in the tropics.

• Obtain funds from outside the University to pursue research interests.

• Play a useful role in the administration of the School and the wider University, particularly as Director of the Anton Breinl Centre.

• Provide advice and assistance in areas of expertise, namely tropical medicine, travel medicine, infectious diseases, zoonotic diseases, public health, emerging infectious diseases and amphibian diseases.

Teaching

Degree/Course coordination

• PhD

• Doctor of Public Health

• Doctor of Public Health Studies

• Postgraduate Certificate in Infection Control

Subject coordination

TM5559 - Clinical Tropical Paediatrics

TM5525 - Disease Control

TM5503 - Human Parasitology

TM5002 - Infectious Diseases

TM5536 - Refugee Health

TM5554 - Theory and Practice of Public Health

TM5501 - Tropical Medicine

TM5534 - Tropical Paediatrics

Research interests

Predominantly the broad area of control of communicable diseases of humans and animals. Follow the links below for some specific research interests.

• Parasites

• Zoonotic Diseases

• Diseases of Wildlife

Professional Affiliations

Member - Australian College of Veterinary Science (MACVS) 1987

Fellow - Australasian College of Tropical Medicine (FACTM) 1991

Fellow - Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine (FAFPHM) 1995

Professional Registrations

Registered medical practitioner in Queensland, Australia. Previously registered as a medical practitioner in Papua New Guinea and Malawi as required for work.

Registered specialist in Public Health Medicine in Queensland, Australia.

Registered veterinary surgeon in Queensland, Australia. Previously registered as a veterinary surgeon in Northern Territory (Australia) and UK as required for work.

Publications

Active publications in a range of fields in human and veterinary health. For a full list of publications please go to http://www.jcu.edu.au/school/phtm/PHTM/staff/rspub.htm