Rate My Professor Heather Brooks

Associate Professor Heather Brooks is an esteemed academic in the Department of Medical Laboratory Science at the University of Otago, where she serves as Assistant Course Director for the Medical Laboratory Science programme on a part-time basis. She holds a BSc (Hons), a Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Laboratory Science (PGDip MLS), and a PhD from the University of London. With over 30 years of teaching experience in the University of Otago Medical Laboratory Science programme, her career encompasses roles in the Department of Pathology and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, underscoring her deep expertise in clinical microbiology, pathology, and medical laboratory practices. Brooks coordinates honours degrees, supervises postgraduate research students, and delivers teaching in Year 4 of the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science, with a focus on Medical Laboratory Science for Rural Health. She is also an active member of the Medical Laboratory Science Reference Group and holds Honorary Life Membership in the New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science.

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.