DoctorRodrigo Hamede Ross

Dr Rodrigo Hamede is a Senior Lecturer in Wildlife Ecology and a One Health researcher internationally recognised for his contributions to disease ecology, epidemiology, and host–pathogen evolution. His research integrates field ecology, evolutionary biology, genomics, mathematical modelling, and veterinary science to understand how wildlife populations respond and adapt to emerging infectious diseases, with a strong emphasis on translating research into conservation policy and real-world management outcomes.

For more than 20 years, Dr Hamede has led internationally significant research on Tasmanian devils and the transmissible cancer devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). His work has produced major advances in understanding the behavioural, demographic, epidemiological, and evolutionary impacts of this disease in wild populations. Through long-term field studies and multidisciplinary collaborations, he has developed predictive models of disease spread and evolutionary responses that directly inform conservation strategies for this iconic endangered species and contribute broadly to the emerging field of cancer ecology and evolution.

 In 2018, Dr Hamede was appointed Hub Leader of the International Associated Laboratory CANECEV, a French–Australian research partnership investigating cancer in ecological and evolutionary contexts. This leadership role has strengthened international collaboration and positioned his research at the forefront of cancer ecology, wildlife immunogenetics, and evolutionary medicine, generating novel insights into species persistence under disease and environmental change.

International Associated Laboratory for Cancer Ecology and Evolution – CANECEV
see: https://www.utas.edu.au/news/2018/5/17/609-joining-forces-to-fight-cancer/

https://canecev.org/

Biography

Dr Rodrigo Hamede grew up in Santiago, Chile. He initially studied Spanish and Linguistics, completing a Bachelor of Arts in 1996, but his enduring passion for wildlife ecology and conservation ultimately shaped his career path. After spending a year in Kenya immersed in mammal and bird watching, he travelled to Tasmania for what was meant to be a three-month visit, hoping to see wild Tasmanian devils and experience the cool temperate rainforests that reminded him of his beloved Patagonia. That visit became permanent.

In 2003, Dr Hamede completed a Bachelor of Science at the University of Tasmania, majoring in Zoology and Environmental Studies, followed by an Honours project in 2004 on Tasmanian devil social behaviour. After a year working with migratory birds in environmental consulting, he returned to mammal research to undertake a PhD on the ecology and epidemiology of devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). He has been based at the University of Tasmania since 2013 and was awarded a prestigious Australian Research Council DECRA Fellowship in 2017.

Dr Hamede has expanded his research internationally through the International Associated Laboratory CANECEV, a collaboration between the CNRS and the University of Montpellier (France), Deakin University, and the University of Tasmania, focused on the role of cancer in ecology and evolution. He also collaborates with Chilean researchers to investigate pathogen transmission at the wildlife–domestic animal–human interface.

He has authored more than 140 peer-reviewed publications and has secured > $6 million in competitive funding from the Australian Research Council, the French National Research Agency, The National Science Foundation and The National Institutes of Health (USA), the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, and University of Tasmania schemes.

Career summary
Qualifications

Ph.D. The Ecology and Epidemiology of Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease, University of Tasmania, Australia 2012

BSc (1st Class Hons), Seasonal, Demographic and Density-Related Patterns of Contact Between Tasmanian Devils: Implications for Transmission of Devil Facial Tumour Disease, University of Tasmania, Australia 2004

BA (Hons), Traductor e Intérprete Simultáneo y Consecutivo, EATRI, Chile 1996

Languages (other than English)
Spanish

Administrative expertise

Dr Hamede has extensive experience in the administration and management of research projects, from leading his own projects during Honours and PhD training to overseeing postdoctoral researchers as well as postgraduate supervision within the School of Natural Sciences. He contributes to project planning, budgeting, reporting, compliance, and coordination of multidisciplinary collaborations, supporting the successful delivery of research outcomes.