From a childhood spent chasing tadpoles in the Mojave desert to pioneering cutting-edge conservation science in Australia, Anthony Waddle's journey is one of remarkable metamorphosis. Today, the 35-year-old award-winning biologist is at the forefront of a global battle to save amphibians from a devastating fungal pandemic, employing everything from simple brick saunas to advanced genetic techniques.
From Desert Tadpoles to a Lifesaving Mission
Anthony Waddle's fascination began as an eight-year-old, ankle-deep in a reservoir, net in hand. "One of the perfect moments in my childhood," he recalls, was captivated by the wonder of tadpole metamorphosis. This early passion evolved into a professional calling. In 2022, he became the first in his family to earn a PhD, from the University of Melbourne, and now dedicates his work to the creatures that first sparked his curiosity.
His mission is urgent. Amphibians worldwide are being decimated by the chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), a pathogen that has already wiped out 90 species and threatens more than 500 more. The loss is ecologically profound. Frogs play a critical role in controlling insect populations, including disease vectors, and their unique skin chemistry is a promising source for new, less addictive painkillers and novel antibiotics.
The Ingenious Frog Sauna Experiment
Faced with this crisis, Waddle began with a elegantly simple idea. Knowing the chytrid fungus thrives in cooler conditions, much like seasonal flu, he wondered if providing warmth could help frogs fight infection. During the pandemic, he and a colleague started experimenting with masonry bricks, stacking them into miniature towers under small greenhouses to create "frog saunas."
The shelters were designed for endangered green and golden bell frogs. The experiment was a resounding success. Frogs that used the warm brick shelters during winter were significantly less likely to succumb to the fungus and even developed resistance upon re-exposure. While a vital stopgap for local populations, Waddle knew a more scalable, global solution was needed.
Scaling Up: Vaccination and Synthetic Biology
Waddle's work has now expanded into two ambitious frontiers. The first is a large-scale immunisation project. His team is raising and vaccinating hundreds of green and golden bell frogs for release into the wild, an effort he describes as "probably the largest input of frogs in that population in a decade."
For species that cannot be vaccinated, like the critically endangered southern corroboree frog which no longer breeds in the wild, his team is exploring synthetic biology. This involves gene replacement or editing to help amphibians resist the fungus. "Yesterday we were making transgenic frogs together, the first ever experiment to make a transgenic frog in Australia," Waddle said with palpable excitement. The goal is to develop a solution that can be adapted and shared for vulnerable species globally.
This innovative approach, while promising, is not without controversy. Critics raise ethical questions and potential unintended consequences, though advocates argue it is a necessary tool to combat extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature's 2025 decision to permit synthetic biology for conservation has fuelled this debate. Waddle is a cautious proponent: "We can't just be willy-nilly slapping genes into frogs, but at the research level we should be investigating synthetic biology."
A Ray of Hope for Global Amphibians
Australian herpetologist Dr Jodi Rowley calls Waddle's multifaceted work "a ray of hope in amphibian conservation." With over 40% of amphibian species threatened, such innovative strategies are desperately needed. For Waddle, the challenges are a source of driven anticipation, not dread. "Usually if I can't sleep, it's something exciting," he says, his mind constantly racing with the next experiment, the next potential breakthrough for the frogs he has loved since childhood.
