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Dr. Elisabeth Phillips is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science at the University of Otago, Christchurch, within the Division of Health Sciences. She obtained her BSc with Honours from the University of Sheffield and her PhD from the University of Birmingham. Recognized as an emerging cancer researcher, her academic interests center on the tumour microenvironment and therapy resistance in cancer. Phillips investigates the role of adipose tissue, adipocytes, and cancer-associated adipocytes (CAA) in cancer progression, particularly under obesogenic conditions. Her approach incorporates molecular techniques, OMICs technologies, proteomics, in vitro co-culture models, clinical samples, and 3D bioprinted models developed in collaboration with Dr. Khoon Lim to study cancer-adipocyte cross-talk and its implications for tumour aggressiveness and treatment outcomes.
Affiliated with the Mackenzie Cancer Research Group under Associate Professor Margaret J. Currie, Phillips has authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications. Key works include 'Gelatin-methacryloyl hydrogel stiffness influences epithelial-mesenchymal transition in MCF7 but not MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in 3D culture' (Biology Open, 2026), 'Iron content of glioblastoma tumours and role of ferrous iron in the hypoxic response in vitro' (Frontiers in Oncology, 2025), 'Role of sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter-2 and ascorbate in regulating the hypoxic pathway in cultured glioblastoma cells' (Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 2025), 'The role of innate priming in modifying tumor-associated macrophage phenotype' (Frontiers in Bioscience - Landmark, 2024), and 'Programming temporal stiffness cues within extracellular matrix hydrogels for modelling cancer niches' (Materials Today Bio, 2024). Additional research addresses ascorbate's effects on hypoxic pathways in gliomas, adipocyte impacts on breast cancer cell proteomes, and vitamin C transporters in various cancers. Phillips contributes to the University of Otago as Deputy Convenor for the Christchurch campus of the Early Career Researchers Advancement Group and has received the 2025 GRACI Foundation Research Grant.
University of Otago PhD candidate Tiffany Ilott wins the 2026 Zonta Women in STEM Award for her endometrial cancer research using innovative 3D cell models.
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