Dr. David Speicher didn鈥檛 leave the world of academia after graduating from 小猪视频in 2003. Speicher, a chemistry and biology graduate, has ten research projects in four countries on the go. While his work has taken him around the world, including Canada, Australia, Cambodia, Kenya and India, he鈥檚 stayed in touch with his undergrad professors.
鈥淎t Redeemer, with such a small community, friendships are tighter,鈥 he says. 鈥淭he relationships between students and professors are stronger.鈥 Speicher remembers a third year immunology course he took at McMaster University while at Redeemer. 鈥淚t was a 400-person class. There was next to no interaction with the professor after the lecture.鈥
Speicher sat down to chat after visiting the home of Dr. Henry Brouwer, emeritus professor of chemistry and environmental science. This is not to mention that his initial introduction to me was through an email from Dr. Gary Chiang, professor of biology. Speicher also helps Dr. Joel Klinck in his genetics course, helping to teach labs with molecular biology techniques.
鈥淚 was able to see God鈥檚 hand at work through all kinds of different disciplines.鈥
Professors invested heavily in him while he was a student, engaging in one-on-one mentorships. Now, even a decade after graduation, he still returns to the community when he has the chance.
鈥淢ost professors began class with a bible passage and a prayer,鈥 recalls Speicher. 鈥淭hat focus has helped me in a very full and busy academic career鈥擥od first, and the work second.鈥
Speicher was initially skeptical about the liberal arts and sciences aspect of his undergraduate studies. 鈥淚 took geography, history and art courses,鈥 he says, with a grin that shows he may not have relished every minute of Redeemer鈥檚 now-revitalized Core curriculum. 鈥淭hough it wasn鈥檛 until after graduation that I realized how important those core courses really were.鈥
鈥淚 was equipped to see the world from a broad angle,鈥 he continues. 鈥淚 was able to see God鈥檚 hand at work through all kinds of different disciplines.鈥
鈥淪cience explains how things happen; religion explains why things happen.”
鈥淲hen I was in India, the culture and worldview was Hindu and I could adapt and respond to it as a Christian,鈥 he says, recalling a course taken with Dr. Goheen highlighting the concept of worldview. 鈥淯nderstanding culture and worldview enables you to relate and reach out to others.鈥 This has been a potent reminder. David鈥檚 wife, Rebeca, is from Cambodia; all but her immediate family are Buddhist. While this has presented its own set of trials, the trials have been maneuverable with God鈥檚 grace.
Speicher completed his postgraduate degrees at Australia鈥檚 Griffith University: an honours MSc in clinical microbiology, and a PhD in virology, focusing on the molecular diagnostics and epidemiology of Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) in Australia and Kenya. The focus of his research has since expanded to include viruses causing head and neck cancer, as well as the use of saliva as a diagnostic fluid (a means of testing for diseases).
In a field often dominated by atheism, agnosticism and the race for funding, Speicher has faced his share of challenges. 鈥淪everal of my colleagues in Australia are atheists and we have talked at length about our views,鈥 reflects Speicher.
But, Speicher鈥檚 position since day one has been that science and faith are not in conflict. 鈥淪cience explains how things happen; religion explains why things happen. As long as my science is good, others shouldn鈥檛 put me down for my faith, but be amazed by God鈥檚 handiwork.鈥
Now, Speicher and his family have moved back to Canada on a new leg of their journey. Originally hailing from Huntsville, Ontario, Speicher now calls Hamilton home. In June of 2016, he was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship at .
鈥淯nderstanding culture and worldview enables you to relate and reach out to others.鈥
While his research has shifted in focus, the common theme of oral diagnostics of viruses and malaria remains. This time around, he is investigating viruses that infect bacteria鈥攂acteriophages鈥攊n a subset of patients with Clostridium difficile, a common infection of the colon. An emphasis of the research is on patients who undergo faecal microbiota transplantation鈥攁 transplant of healthy flora鈥攖o the colon to combat the infection. The success rate for this transplantation is currently around 80%. Speicher is working to close the 20% failure rate.
Regardless of where his research takes him, Speicher will always return to his roots at Redeemer. And the university will be the better for it.