Paul McMurrick

Associate Professor Paul McMurrick is a specialist colorectal surgeon and academic at Monash University, where he holds the Fröhlich West Chair and serves as Head of the Cabrini Monash University Department of Surgery. He is affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and practices clinically at Cabrini Hospital. He is the specialty group leader for colorectal surgery at Cabrini Health and the tumour group stream leader for colorectal cancer within Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre.

His research interests are centered on colorectal cancer, minimally invasive surgical techniques, inflammatory bowel disease, and translational applications of organoid technology. He has a strong focus on improving surgical outcomes, patient quality of life, and personalized treatment strategies, particularly for advanced bowel cancer. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being.

His recent research publications (2023–2024) reflect a consistent focus on surgical oncology, patient outcomes, and molecular mechanisms in colorectal cancer. Topics include prognostic disparities, anastomotic leaks, geriatric surgical outcomes, and RNA-level regulation in cancer pathways. These works demonstrate a blend of clinical epidemiology and molecular research, often in multidisciplinary collaboration.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Roger Dozois Visiting Professor, Mayo Clinic (2012)
• Fellow, Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSSANZ)
• Recertified by the Gastroenterological Society of Australia for colonoscopy

Research Leadership and Grants: Paul McMurrick has been a Chief or Associate Investigator on nine research projects since 2011, including major initiatives funded by Cancer Australia. His projects focus on developing pre-clinical testing platforms, personalizing drug treatments for BRAF-mutant CRC, studying the tumor microenvironment, and using patient-derived organoids to guide non-surgical management of rectal cancer. These projects involve collaborations with leading institutions and researchers in oncology and molecular biology.

Labs and Research Teams: He is embedded in a high-impact research network centered at Monash University and Cabrini Health, collaborating closely with experts such as Professors Trevor Jarde, Hala Abud, Richard Gibbs, and Hans Clevers. His work leverages organoid technology and translational models to bridge clinical practice and laboratory research.