Dr Rachel Purcell, Our people, University of Otago, Christchurch

Senior Research Fellow

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

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

Sulit, A., Appleby, S., Pearson, J., & Purcell, R. (2024). Using oxford nanopore technologies to study microbial cell-free DNA (mcfDNA). Proceedings of the 17th GeneMappers Conference. Retrieved from https://www.genemappersconference.org Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Kolisnik, T., Keshavarz-Rahaghi, F., Purcell, R. V., Smith, A. N. H., & Silander, O. K. (2024). pyRforest: A comprehensive R package for genomic data analysis featuring scikit-learn Random Forests in R. Briefings in Functional Genomics. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1093/bfgp/elae038 Journal - Research Other

Permain, J., Hock, B., Eglinton, T., & Purcell, R. (2024). Functional links between the microbiome and the molecular pathways of colorectal carcinogenesis. Cancer & Metastasis Reviews. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s10555-024-10215-5 Journal - Research Article

Waddell, O., Pearson, J., McCombie, A., Marshall, H., Glyn, T., Purcell, R., Keenan, J., & Frizelle, F. (2024). The rising incidence of early onset colorectal cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand: Changing trends from 2000 to 2020. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 94(Suppl. 1), GS003. doi: 10.1111/ans.18951 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Waddell, O., Pearson, J., McCombie, A., Marshall, H., Purcell, R., Keenan, J., Glyn, T., & Frizelle, F. (2024). The incidence of early onset colorectal cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand: 2000–2020. BMC Cancer, 24, 456. doi: 10.1186/s12885-024-12122-y Journal - Research Article

2024

Journal - Research Article

Glyn, T., Williams, S., Whitehead, M., Eglinton, T., West, N., & Purcell, R. V. (2024). Digital spatial profiling identifies molecular changes involved in development of colitis-associated colorectal cancer. Frontiers in Oncology, 14, 1247106. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1247106

Ajithkumar, P., Gimenez, G., Stockwell, P. A., Almomani, S., Bowden, S. A., Leichter, A. L., … Pattison, S., … Frizelle, F. A., Eccles, M. R., Purcell, R. V., Rodger, E. J., & Chatterjee, A. (2024). DNA methylome and transcriptome maps of primary colorectal cancer and matched liver metastasis. Data, 9(1), 8. doi: 10.3390/data9010008

Journal - Research Other

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

2023

Journal - Research Article

Sulit, A. K., Daigneault, M., Allen-Vercoe, E., Silander, O. K., Hock, B., McKenzie, J., Pearson, J., Frizelle, F. A., Schmeier, S., & Purcell, R. (2023). Bacterial lipopolysaccharide modulates immune response in the colorectal tumor microenvironment. npj Biofilms & Microbiomes, 9, 59. doi: 10.1038/s41522-023-00429-w

Kolisnik, T., Sulit, A. K., Schmeier, S., Frizelle, F., Purcell, R., Smith, A., & Silander, O. (2023). Identifying important microbial and genomic biomarkers for differentiating right- versus left-sided colorectal cancer using random forest models. BMC Cancer, 23, 647. doi: 10.1186/s12885-023-10848-9

Rodger, E. J., Gimenez, G., Ajithkumar, P., Stockwell, P. A., Almomani, S., Bowden, S. A., Leichter, A. L., Ahn, A., Pattison, S., McCall, J. L., … Frizelle, F. A., Eccles, M. R., Purcell, R. V., & Chatterjee, A. (2023). An epigenetic signature of advanced colorectal cancer metastasis. iScience, 26(6), 106986. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106986

Sulit, A. K., Wilson, K., Pearson, J., Silander, O. K., Sampurno, S., Michael, M., … Frizelle, F., & Purcell, R. V. (2023). Human gene and microbial analyses in rectal cancer complete responses to radiotherapy. BJS Open, 7(3), zrad035. doi: 10.1093/bjsopen/zrad035

Lee, M. S., Purcell, R., McCombie, A., Frizelle, F., & Eglinton, T. (2023). Retrospective cohort study of the impact of faecoliths on the natural history of acute appendicitis. World Journal of Emergency Surgery, 18, 18. doi: 10.1186/s13017-023-00486-8

Thompson, N., Gatenby, G., Waddell, O., Purcell, R., Keenan, J., Pearson, J. F., Frizelle, F., & Glyn, T. (2023). Early onset colorectal cancer in Canterbury, New Zealand. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 93, 2148-2154. doi: 10.1111/ans.18357

Lee, M. S., Thomas, A., Pearson, J. F., Purcell, R., Frizelle, F., & Glyn, T. (2023). Risk of colorectal cancer in patients with appendicitis over the age of 40 years. Colorectal Disease, 25, 624-630. doi: 10.1111/codi.16429

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Purcell, R., Sulit, A., & Frizelle, F. (2023). The influence of the microbiome on the tumour-immune microenvironment in colorectal cancer. Annals of Oncology, 34(Suppl. 1), SO-23. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2023.04.495

Purcell, R., Sulit, A., & Frizelle, F. (2023). Immune cell and microbiome contributions to radiotherapy response in rectal cancer. Annals of Oncology, 34(Suppl. 1), P-67 . doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2023.04.123

Permain, J., Sulit, A., Eglinton, T., & Purcell, R. (2023). Bacterial lipopolysaccharide modulates immune responses in colorectal cancer. Annals of Oncology, 34(Suppl. 1), P-306. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2023.04.362

Lee, M. S., McCombie, A., Purcell, R., Frizelle, F., & Eglinton, T. (2023). The role and impact of faecoliths on the natural history of acute appendicitis. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 93(Suppl. 1), (pp. 80). doi: 10.1111/ans.18394

Lee, M. S., Sulit, A., Frizelle, F., & Purcell, R. (2023). The microbiome in adult acute appendicitis. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 93(Suppl. 1), (pp. 80). doi: 10.1111/ans.18394

Lee, M. S., Pearson, J., Purcell, R., Frizelle, F., & Glyn, T. (2023). Risk of colorectal cancer in patients with appendicitis over the age of 40 years. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 93(Suppl. 1), (pp. 43). doi: 10.1111/ans.18394

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Pearson, J., Waddell, O., McCombie, A., Marshall, H., Purcell, R., Keenan, J., Glyn, T., & Frizelle, F. (2023, November-December). The incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer in Aotearoa: 2000-2020. Verbal presentation at the International Biometric Society Australasian Region (IBS-AR) and the Statistical Ecology and Environmental Monitoring (SEEM) Joint Conference, Waitangi, New Zealand.

Appleby, S., Sulit, A. K., Pemberton, C. J., Pearson, J. F., & Purcell, R. V. (2023, August). Circulating bacterial DNA as a prognostic marker for myocardial infarction. Verbal presentation at the 17th New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.

2022

Journal - Research Article

Curio, S., Edwards, S. C., Suzuki, T., McGovern, J., Triulzi, C., Yoshida, N., … Purcell, R. V., … Guerra, N. (2022). NKG2D signaling regulates IL-17A-producing γδT cells in mice to promote cancer progression. Discovery Immunology, 1, kyac002. doi: 10.1093/discim/kyac002

O'Grady, M. J., Turner, G. A., Sulit, A., Frizelle, F. A., & Purcell, R. (2022). Distinct changes in the colonic microbiome associated with acute diverticulitis. Colorectal Disease, 24, 1591-1601. doi: 10.1111/codi.16271

Aitchison, A., Pearson, J. F., Purcell, R. V., Frizelle, F. A., & Keenan, J. I. (2022). Detection of Fusobacterium nucleatum DNA in primary care patient stool samples does not predict progression of colorectal neoplasia. PLoS ONE, 17(6), e0269541. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269541

Purcell, R. V., Permain, J., & Keenan, J. I. (2022). Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis activates IL-8 expression through Stat3 in colorectal cancer cells. Gut Pathogens, 14, 16. doi: 10.1186/s13099-022-00489-x

Turner, G., O'Grady, M., Hudson, D., Morgan, X., Frizelle, F., & Purcell, R. (2022). Rectal swabs are a reliable method of assessing the colonic microbiome. International Journal of Medical Microbiology, 312(2), 151549. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2022.151549

Journal - Research Other

Glyn, T., & Purcell, R. (2022). Circulating bacterial DNA: A new paradigm for cancer diagnostics [Mini review]. Frontiers in Medicine, 9, 831096. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.831096

Shelling, A. N., Bicknell, L. S., Bohlander, S. S., Cox, M. P., Filoche, S. K., Fraser, H. G., … Te Aika, B., Purcell, R. V., & Tiller, J. M. (2022). Genomic discrimination in New Zealand health and life insurance: AGenDA: Against Genomic Discrimination in Aotearoa. New Zealand Medical Journal, 135(1551), 7-12. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Noble, A. J., Purcell, R. V., Adams, A. T., Lam, Y. K., Ring, P. M., Anderson, J. R., & Osborne, A. J. (2022). A final frontier in environment-genome interactions? Integrated, multi-omic approaches to predictions of non-communicable disease risk. Frontiers in Genetics, 13, 831866. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.831866

Turner, G. A., O'Grady, M. J., Purcell, R. V., & Frizelle, F. A. (2022). Acute diverticulitis in young patients: A review of the changing epidemiology and etiology. Digestive Diseases & Sciences, 67, 1156-1162. doi: 10.1007/s10620-021-06956-w

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Sulit, A., Daigneault, M., Allen-Vercoe, E., Silander, O., Hock, B., McKenzie, J., Pearson, J., Frizelle, F., … Purcell, R. (2022). Lipopolysaccharide from colorectal cancer-associated bacteria influence cytokine production in immune cells. Colorectal Disease, 24(Suppl. 1), (pp. 55-56). doi: 10.1111/codi.16048

Purcell, R., Sulit, A., Wilson, K., Michael, M., Pearson, J., Ramsey, R., … Frizelle, F. (2022). The tumour microbiome and response to radiotherapy in rectal cancer. Colorectal Disease, 24(Suppl. 1), (pp. 5). doi: 10.1111/codi.16048

Permain, J., Purcell, R., Sulit, A., Hock, B., & Eglinton, T. (2022). Novel functional links between colorectal carcinogenesis and the microbiome. Colorectal Disease, 24(Suppl. 1), (pp. 4-5). doi: 10.1111/codi.16048

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Sulit, A. K., Pearson, J., Liu, W., Silander, O. K., Wilson, K., Heriot, A., Frizelle, F., & Purcell, R. (2022, August). Human gene and microbial analyses suggest immunotherapy-like mechanisms in complete response to radiotherapy in rectal cancer. Verbal presentation at the Cancer Satellite Meeting: Queenstown Research Week, Queenstown, New Zealand.

Other Research Output

Purcell, R. (2022, July). The microbiome in cancer: What do we know so far? UOC Research Seminar Series, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. [Research Presentation].

2021

Journal - Research Article

Turner, G. A., O'Grady, M. J., Senadeera, S. C., Wakeman, C. J., McCombie, A., Purcell, R. V., & Frizelle, F. A. (2021). The prevalence of right-sided colonic diverticulosis in a New Zealand population. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 91, 2110-2114. doi: 10.1111/ans.16995

Lau, Y. C., Schmeier, S., Frizelle, F., & Purcell, R. (2021). Consensus molecular subtypes of primary colon tumors and their hepatic metastases. Future Science OA, 7(7), FSO722. doi: 10.2144/fsoa-2021-0021

Journal - Research Other

Turner, G. A., O'Grady, M. J., Purcell, R. V., & Frizelle, F. A. (2021). The epidemiology and etiology of right-sided colonic diverticulosis: A review. Annals of Coloproctology, 37(4), 196-203. doi: 10.3393/ac.2021.00192.0027

2020

Chapter in Book - Research

Purcell, R. V. (2020). Bacteroides fragilis. In M. H. Floch (Ed.), Colorectal neoplasia and the colorectal microbiome: Dysplasia, probiotics, and fusobacteria. (pp. 57-77). London, UK: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-819672-4.00004-0

Journal - Research Article

O'Grady, M., Turner, G., Currie, W., Yi, M., Frizelle, F., & Purcell, R. (2020). Acute diverticulitis: An ongoing economic burden on the health system. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 90, 2046-2049. doi: 10.1111/ans.16234

Taylor, W. S., Pearson, J., Miller, A., Schmeier, S., Frizelle, F. A., & Purcell, R. V. (2020). MinION sequencing of colorectal cancer tumour microbiomes: A comparison with amplicon-based and RNA-sequencing. PLoS ONE, 15(5), e0233170. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233170

O'Grady, M., Clarke, L., Turner, G., Doogue, M., Purcell, R., Pearson, J., & Frizelle, F. (2020). Statin use and risk of acute diverticulitis: A population-based case-control study. Medicine, 99(20), e20264. doi: 10.1097/md.0000000000020264

2019

Journal - Research Article

Purcell, R. V., Schmeier, S., Lau, Y. C., Pearson, J. F., & Frizelle, F. A. (2019). Molecular subtyping improves prognostication of Stage 2 colorectal cancer. BMC Cancer, 19(1), 1155. doi: 10.1186/s12885-019-6327-4

Stevens, A. J., Purcell, R. V., Darling, K. A., Eggleston, M. J. F., Kennedy, M. A., & Rucklidge, J. J. (2019). Human gut microbiome changes during a 10 week randomised control trial for micronutrient supplementation in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Scientific Reports, 9, 10128. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-46146-3

Journal - Research Other

Visnovska, T., Biggs, P. J., Schmeier, S., Frizelle, F. A., & Purcell, R. V. (2019). Metagenomics and transcriptomics data from human colorectal cancer [Data descriptor]. Scientific Data, 6(1), 116. doi: 10.1038/s41597-019-0117-3

Purcell, R. V., Hock, B. D., Gardner, J., Goddard, L., MacPherson, S. A., & McKenzie, J. L. (2019). Analysis of human papillomavirus infection and leukaemic infiltrate in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. British Journal of Haematology, 186(4), e67-e71. doi: 10.1111/bjh.15907

2018

Journal - Research Article

Purcell, R. V., Kaakoush, N. O., Mitchell, H. M., Pearson, J. F., & Keenan, J. I. (2018). Gastrointestinal pathobionts in pediatric Crohn's disease patients. International Journal of Microbiology, 2018, 9203908. doi: 10.1155/2018/9203908

2017

Journal - Research Article

Purcell, R. V., Visnovska, M., Biggs, P. J., Schmeier, S., & Frizelle, F. A. (2017). Distinct gut microbiome patterns associate with consensus molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer. Scientific Reports, 7, 11590. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-11237-6

Purcell, R. V., Pearson, J., Aitchison, A., Dixon, L., Frizelle, F. A., & Keenan, J. I. (2017). Colonization with enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis is associated with early-stage colorectal neoplasia. PLoS ONE, 12(2), e0171602. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171602

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Purcell, R., Visnovska, M., Biggs, P., Schmeier, S., & Frizelle, F. (2017). Consensus molecular classification of colorectal cancer and association with the colonic microbiome. Proceedings of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) Annual Scientific & Tripartite Meeting. (pp. 44-45). Retrieved from http://fascrs.org

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Purcell, R. (2017, October). Distinct microbiome patterns associate with colorectal cancer molecular subtyptes. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Society for Oncology (NZSO) Conference, Auckland, New Zealand.

Purcell, R. V., Visnovska, M., Biggs, P. J., Schmeier, S., & Frizelle, F. A. (2017, September). Distinct microbiome patterns associate with colorectal cancer molecular subtypes. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.

2016

Journal - Research Article

Purcell, R. V., Pearson, J., Frizelle, F. A., & Keenan, J. I. (2016). Comparison of standard, quantitative and digital PCR in the detection of enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis. Scientific Reports, 6, 34554. doi: 10.1038/srep34554

Keenan, J. I., Aitchison, A., Purcell, R. V., Greenlees, R., Pearson, J. F., & Frizelle, F. A. (2016). Screening for enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis in stool samples. Anaerobe, 40, 50-53. doi: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2016.05.004

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Purcell, R., Pearson, J., Visnovska, M., Schmeier, S., & Frizelle, F. (2016, November). Consensus molecular classification of colorectal cancer and association with the colonic microbiome. Verbal presentation at the Joint Meeting of the New Zealand Microbiological Society (NZMS) and the New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NZSBMB), Christchurch, New Zealand.

Purcell, R., Pearson, J., Keenan, J., Schmeier, S., & Frizelle, F. (2016, August-September). Bacterial dysbiosis and the development of colorectal cancer. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Nelson, New Zealand.

2015

Journal - Research Article

Leichter, A. L., Purcell, R. V., Sullivan, M. J., Eccles, M. R., & Chatterjee, A. (2015). Multi-platform microRNA profiling of hepatoblastoma patients using formalin fixed paraffin embedded archival samples. GigaScience, 4, 54. doi: 10.1186/s13742-015-0099-9

Chatterjee, A., Leichter, A. L., Fan, V., Tsai, P., Purcell, R. V., Sullivan, M. J., & Eccles, M. R. (2015). A cross comparison of technologies for the detection of microRNAs in clinical FFPE samples of hepatoblastoma patients. Scientific Reports, 5, 10438. doi: 10.1038/srep10438

2012

Journal - Research Article

Purcell, R., Childs, M., Maibach, R., Miles, C., Turner, C., Zimmermann, A., … Sullivan, M. (2012). Potential biomarkers for hepatoblastoma: Results from the SIOPEL-3 study. European Journal of Cancer, 48(12), 1853-1859. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2011.10.019

2011

Journal - Research Article

Purcell, R., Childs, M., Maibach, R., Miles, C., Turner, C., Zimmermann, A., & Sullivan, M. (2011). HGF/c-Met related activation of β-catenin in hepatoblastoma. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research, 30, 96. doi: 10.1186/1756-9966-30-96

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Purcell, R., Sullivan, M., Maibach, R., Zimmermann, A., Turner, C., & Miles, C. (2011). Immunohistochemical analysis of hepatoblastomas reveals potential biomarkers. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 57(5), (pp. 782). doi: 10.1002/pbc.23299

Purcell, R., Sullivan, M., Maibach, R., Zimmermann, A., Miles, C., Turner, C., & Childs, M. (2011). HGF/C-met related activation of âeta-catenin in hepatoblastoma. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 57(5), (pp. 728). doi: 10.1002/pbc.23299

Awarded Doctoral Degree

Purcell, R. (2011). Molecular mechanisms in the pathogenesis of hepatoblastoma (PhD). University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/1841

2007

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Sullivan, M., Hale, T., Miles, C., & Purcell, R. (2007). A tumour tissue array for the validation of candidate biomarkers for hepatoblastoma treated according to the SIOPEL 2 and 3 clinical trials. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 49(Suppl. 6), PA.044, (pp. 450). doi: 10.1002/pbc.21342

Sullivan, M., Purcell, R., & Arsic, D. (2007). Sonic hedgehog pathway inhibition induces caspase-related apoptotic cell death in hepatoblastoma. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 49(Suppl. 6), PA.043, (pp. 450). doi: 10.1002/pbc.21342