Rachael Barry

Dr Rachael Barry serves as an Advanced Research Fellow in the Nutrition Section of the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction at Imperial College London's Faculty of Medicine. Leading an independent research group established in 2020, she investigates hydrolases in inflamed and cancerous gut environments for gastrointestinal disease management. Her work bridges clinical applications and molecular mechanisms through cutting-edge gut-on-chip models and ex vivo assays.

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD from the Institute of Cancer Research, University of London
• BSc (Honours) and BSc from the University of Queensland, Australia

Dr Barry's research spans gastrointestinal diseases, hydrolases, colorectal cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease, with emphasis on active hydrolytic enzymes as drivers of cancer development and early-detection biomarkers. She integrates microbiology, oncology, and biochemistry to develop diagnostic tools like 3D-printed rectal swabs and fecal protease analysis techniques, targeting therapeutic interventions for gut inflammation and malignancy.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals dominant themes in protease activity in IBD, host-pathogen interactions (particularly Citrobacter rodentium), EGFR trafficking in cancer, and inflammasome regulation. Her work consistently applies translational approaches—from bedside sample analysis to benchtop organ-on-chip models—to identify enzyme-based biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

As a supervisor for the CDT in Chemical Biology: Innovation in Life Sciences and member of the Organ-on-chip Network of Excellence, Dr Barry collaborates across Imperial's Institute of Chemical Biology. Her laboratory utilizes advanced methodologies including ex vivo tumor assays, microbiome-metabolome profiling, and SUMOylation pathway analysis to dissect disease mechanisms in gastrointestinal cancers and inflammatory conditions.