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 Biomedical and Tropical Veterinary 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:
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 appears to be the cause of an emerging infectious disease in amphibian populations in Australia and Central America.
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 Australasian College of Tropical Medicine. He fulfilled this role between May 1991 and June 1996.
After November 1992 Rick continued research on parasites and diseases of zoonotic significance. Lately, his focus has been on head lice, the Australian bat lyssavirus, and malaria and communicable disease control in South Africa.