Rate My Professor Heather Brooks

Her research specializations centre on the tumour microbiome, particularly the diagnostic detection of tumour-associated bacteria using a suite of molecular and microscopic techniques to identify both intracellular and extracellular bacteria within tumours. She has secured the NZIMLS Research Grant for a pilot study investigating the tumour microbiome in brain metastases. Brooks has authored 51 research publications, accumulating 1,487 citations, with key contributions including studies on antibiotic resistance in thermotolerant Campylobacter isolated from wastewater in Dunedin (published in the New Zealand Journal of Medical Laboratory Science), correlations between bacterial vaginosis and preterm birth (2010), and health professional education in preventing antimicrobial resistance (2020). Additionally, she published 'Modern microbiology – a quiet revolution with many benefits' (2013) and, in 2024, released 'My Sore Throat', a children's book aimed at demystifying medical laboratory science processes through her personal experiences with infectious diseases. Her scholarly work has notably advanced understanding in microbiology and medical laboratory science, influencing education, rural health practices, and diagnostic methodologies in New Zealand.