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Rachel PurcellSenior Research Fellow

BSc(Hons)(Cork) MSc(Hons)(PIC) PhD(Otago)

Email rachel.purcell@otago.ac.nz

Rachel is a Senior Research Fellow with the Department of Surgery. She has a background in molecular biology and cancer genetics.

Her research is centred on the molecular mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Rachel's current research projects include investigating the effect of the gut microbiome on radiotherapy response in rectal cancer, microbiome-based markers of diverticular disease and molecular classification of colorectal cancer..

Publications

Waddell, O., Sulit, A., Wilson, K., Ramsey, R., Heriot, A., Frizelle, F., & Purcell, R. (2026). Distinct differences in the tumour-resident microbiome between early-and late-onset colorectal cancer. Oncodaily Medical Journal. Advance online publication. doi: 10.69690/ODMJ-001-0426-7451 Journal - Research Article

Thompson, V., Waddell, O., Glyn, T., Jackson, C. G. C. A., Frizelle, F., & Purcell, R. V. (2026). Patient-reported experiences of early-onset colorectal cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 139(1637), 98-124. doi: 10.26635/6965.7222 Journal - Research Article

Shan, Z., Chen, Y., Chen, F., Zhang, Y., Chen, H., Wang, Z., … Purcell, R., … Li, X. (2026). Dietary yacon concentrate reshapes microbial-metabolite crosstalk to inhibit colorectal cancer. NPJ Science of Food. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1038/s41538-026-00931-3 Journal - Research Article

Purcell, R. V., Hegoburu, A., Sulit, A., & Frizelle, F. (2026). Spatial immune architecture as a predictor of response to neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy in rectal cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 44(16, Suppl.), e15739. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2026.44.16_suppl.e15739 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Purcell, R. V., Waddell, O., Sulit, A., & Frizelle, F. (2026). A distinct immune-microbiome axis in early-onset colorectal cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 44(16, Suppl.), e15736. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2026.44.16_suppl.e15736 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

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