About LabABC

Meet Dr Richard Spence

26 years. One focus.

I started my journey in large hospital laboratories in the UK. Five years of clinical microbiology work – real patients, real pathogens, real stakes. I then completed a PhD in microbiology at the University of Nottingham, focused on developing a new diagnostic test for a hospital-acquired infection.

In 2009, I moved to New Zealand, joined the animal health sector and spent the next 17 years working through every level of laboratory management – from animal diseases and diagnostics through to managing the most demanding biosafety and containment environments in the country.

That path led to one defining project. From 2012, I served as senior user representative for the design, construction, commissioning and certification of New Zealand’s National Biocontainment Laboratory. In that role, I was accountable for end-user requirements – the people who would work in the facility, the risks they would manage, the standards the facility had to meet. The New Zealand government trusted me to get it right. Since the laboratory began operating in 2021 I have run the facility, ensuring it delivers the services needed to protect New Zealand.

LabABC is the next chapter.

Hands-on experience, not management theory

Laboratories are complex environments with specialist needs. I’ve been on the receiving end of audits done by some enterprise consultancies. They lack understanding of how labs operate and provide limited practical use.

That’s not a criticism I make lightly. It’s a pattern I’ve seen repeat itself. Large firms send in generalists with checklists. They produce reports full of general recommendations that don’t deliver tangible benefits. The gap between what is prescribed and what is needed operationally is huge.

I work differently. I’ve managed laboratories. I’ve designed management and safety systems. I’ve sat in both the audit chair and the compliance chair. When I assess a laboratory, I understand what I’m looking at – the equipment, the procedures, the risks, the regulatory requirements, and the practical constraints on the people running the operation.

For me, it’s about protecting the people who are working there, the population in general, and the environment. That’s not a mission statement. It’s why I do this work.

Credentials and associations

Academic and professional training
  • BSc (Hons) in medical microbiology – University of Dundee.
  • MSc in molecular medical microbiology (with distinction) – University of Nottingham.
  • PhD in microbiology – University of Nottingham.
  • State registered clinical scientist in infectious diseases, UK.
Laboratory management
  • 17 years managing laboratories across clinical microbiology, animal diseases and diagnostics in New Zealand.
  • Senior user representative and facility manager, New Zealand National Biocontainment Laboratory.
Professional associations
  • President, Association for Biosafety for Australia and New Zealand (ABSANZ) between 2023 and 2025; five years as board director; and two years chair, ABSANZ Governance, Finance & Risk Committee.
  • World Organisation for Animal Health – ad hoc working group Biosafety and Biosecurity Chapter review.
  • International accreditation New Zealand technical expert (2012-2019).
  • Core member of the International Veterinary Biosafety Working Group (IVBWG).
  • Member of BSL4ZNet – the Biosafety Level 4 Zoonotic Laboratory Network.

Publications

Visit Researchgate to find out more about the research papers and scientific publications Richard has written or contributed to:

VISIT RESEARCHGATE

What clients and collaborators say

Richard and I served on the ABSANZ Board together between 2023 and 2026. Richard was Chair of the Regulatory and Finance committee and then President of ABSANZ from 2023-2025. Richard had a deep and hands-on understanding of laboratory design and biocontainment principles based on his 10 years + with the NZ Ministry of Primary Industries responsible for biosafety and containment at NZ primary BSL4 laboratory. Richard is a passionate advocate for biosafety and his theoretical knowledge is backed by several years’ experience as a practitioner working under the most critical conditions.

Greg Riese
Director
Giant Hygiene Services

I have worked with Dr. Richard Spence for more than 10 years and can personally attest to the exceptional knowledge, expertise, and leadership he brings to the management of risk throughout the lifecycle of a biocontainment facility. His experience spans planning, design, construction, commissioning, and operational assurance, ensuring that facilities are safe, compliant, and fit for purpose.

I offer my strongest recommendation for Dr. Spence for any mission that demands uncompromising safety, scientific rigor, and operational reliability. His professionalism, integrity, and commitment to excellence make him an invaluable asset to any organization or program.

Gilles Tremblay
Director of commissioning
Life Sciences Division
Pond

How I work

Every laboratory is different. The pathogens are different, the procedures are different, the people are different, and the regulatory environment is different. Generic solutions don’t hold up.

I start with your specific context. I look at what you have, what you need, and what the gap between the two actually means for your operation. Then I give you practical, actionable advice – not a report that sits on a shelf.

LabABC provides specialist services across three disciplines: laboratory assurance, laboratory biosafety, and laboratory containment. If you’re not sure which applies to your situation, get in touch and we’ll work it out together.

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dr richard spence