I’m a molecular virologist and clinical epidemiologist with a passion for detection and surveillance of infectious diseases.
I’m a Canadian who completed a PhD (2012) on the detection and characterization of HHV-8 under Prof. Newell W. Johnson CMG.
This work led to the first HHV-8 quantitative PCR assay in Australia. This was used to successfully treat several patients by monitor HHV-8 viral load and treatment efficacy.
I relocated to Canada in 2014. At St. Joseph’s Healthcare and McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, I held a position as a postdoctoral fellow working on a range of projects. They included C. difficile diversity and associated phages, salivary biomarkers for viral infections and immunity, and detection of sexually transmitted infections and antimicrobial resistance, including Mycoplasma genitalium.
I have a passion for translational research and collaborations surrounding the accurate diagnostics and surveillance of a range of infectious diseases.
Honors & Awards
Languages
Organizations
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Field Of Study: Virology
Dates attended –
PhD Thesis Awarded in 2012:
Speicher, D. J. 2012. Detection and Genotyping of HHV-8 in Australia and Kenya: Disease association with special reference to Kaposi’s sarcoma and Castleman’s disease.
Degree: Master of Science (M.Sc.) with Honours
Field Of Study: Clinical Microbiology
Dates attended –
Degree: Bachelor of Science (BSc) with Honours
Field Of Study: Biology (Major); Chemistry (Minor)
Dates attended: –
3 Courses
23 Publications