In Memoriam: Robert Killick-Kendrick

Abstract

Omar Hamarsheh

Departmen of Life Sciences, College of Science & Technology, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine      

Abstract

Robert Killick-Kendrick was born on 29 June 1929, Hampton, UK. He is a dedicated and outstanding parasitologist specialized in infectious diseases and tropical medicine, particularly in the parasites that cause diseases in humans and other mammals, including malaria, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and leishmaniasis. His early research was on African trypanosomiasis and malaria. In 1972, he set up a research unit at Imperial College funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council of the United Kingdom to study leishmaniasis and phlebotomine sandflies. He joined the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1949 as a laboratory assistant, on 1963 He joined the London School to continue research on malaria parasites (Lainson et al. 2011). Bob extended his interest into leishmaniasis disease in Latin America, Middle East and southern France, where he collaborating with Professor Rioux at the University of Montpellier, France. Bob married with Mireille Bailly; a sand fly specialist gaining much more interest in the study of Leishmania vectors. His major wok in Monpellier was concentrated.on the eco-epidemiology of L. (L.) infantum and role of Phlebotomus ariasi as the vector of visceral leishmaniasis in France and neighboring countries, resulted in a number of research papers concerning the sand fly-parasite relationship, mechanism of sand fly bite transmission, ecology and wind dispersal, sugars meals of the sand flies from plants and "honey-dew" from aphids. He has invaluable contribution in sand fly control demonstrating the effectiveness of insecticide impregnated dog collars in killing or repelling sand fly vectors attempting to bite the major, canine reservoir host of L. infantum (Rioux et al. 2012). During his scientific life, he authored/coauthored 300 research papers and several specialized books in infectious diseases.

Robert Killick-Kendrick died on 22/10/2011 aged 82 in France, but  his scientific heritage will be remembered by his students, colleagues and friends.