While our group was at King’s College London we advertised for a research fellow to join us. We were delighted when Richard applied for the post. His academic reputation preceded him, with a number of seminal publications on his cv. Rival applicants didn’t stand a chance against someone of such high calibre.

Although Richard worked with us for only a few years, during that short time he brought a breath of fresh air to our group with his wonderful enthusiasm and sense of humour. He was a talented researcher, full of energy and ideas, and this was complemented by his skills and experience as a paediatric physician.

I will never forget the day when he calmly told me of his diagnosis and made the hard decision, for the sake of his family, to leave academia behind and take up a clinical post in Cornwall. We are all filled with admiration for the remarkable courage that he showed in his long battle with cancer.
Richard, it was a privilege to have worked with you. Losing you was a great loss to our group and to asthma research, as you undoubtedly had so much more to contribute.

A tribute to Richard from Seif Shaheen on behalf of the Respiratory Epidemiology and Public Health Group at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London.