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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

Booth, C., Ang, E., Upston, B., Davies, C., & Purcell, R. (2026, October). Common sense oncology. Panel discussion at the Te Pūao Mātai Pukupuku New Zealand Society for Oncology 56th Annual Conference, Wellington, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Sulit, A. K., Miller, A. L., Danielson, K. M., Pemberton, C. J., Purcell, R. V., & Appleby, S. (2026). Comparison of Oxford Nanopore and sequencing-by-synthesis technologies for sequencing cell-free bacterial DNA. Scientific Reports. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-69111-3 Journal - Research Article

Waddell, O., Palmer, J., Keenan, J., McCombie, A., Glyn, T., Simcock, B., & Purcell, R. (2026). Sexual health communication in early-onset colorectal cancer: Patterns, gaps, and barriers. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 96(Suppl. 1), CR010. doi: 10.1111/ans.70592 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Waddell, O., Palmer, J., Keenan, J., McCombie, A., Frizelle, F., Pearson, J., Glyn, T., Simcock, B., & Purcell, R. (2026). Sexual function in early-onset colorectal cancer survivors: A population-based case-control study. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 96(Suppl. 1), CR002. doi: 10.1111/ans.70592 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

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

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