معرفی
Sarah Purcell is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Kelowna campus, where she leverages energy balance concepts to develop evidence-based nutrition strategies for obesity and chronic disease management. Her research program focuses on characterizing energy intake requirements and assessing how energy balance perturbations impact physiological outcomes, utilizing advanced methodologies including doubly labeled water, body composition analysis, and ecological momentary assessments.
Education:
- PhD, University of Alberta
- MSc, Florida State University
- BSc (Hon.), Florida State University
Her research spans nutrition science, energy metabolism, and chronic disease management, with particular emphasis on obesity, cancer survivorship, and body composition. She employs precise measurement techniques to investigate appetite regulation, dietary intake, and energy expenditure across diverse populations including cancer patients, breast cancer survivors, and individuals with metabolic disorders. Her work bridges laboratory and free-living conditions to develop clinically applicable nutrition interventions.
Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals three dominant research trajectories: (1) refinement of energy expenditure measurement methodologies (doubly labeled water, whole-room calorimetry), (2) dietary interventions for cancer management and survivorship, and (3) precision nutrition approaches for metabolic disorders. Her work increasingly integrates field-based research with clinical applications, particularly in oncology nutrition and women's health.
Scientific Recognition:
- Associate Editor, Environmental Science & Policy (2021)
- NFRF Multidisciplinary Panel Member (2021)
- CCA Expert Panel Reviewer (2021)
- NFRF Committee Member (2020)
Dr. Purcell actively supervises graduate students and collaborates with interdisciplinary research teams across UBC and Canadian institutions. Her current work includes the PRIMe trial investigating energy expenditure in colorectal cancer patients and development of novel dietary assessment tools like the FAST24 screener. She teaches BIOL 423 Endocrinology and contributes to national research funding panels through SSHRC and CCA.
