Dr Megha Mehta
(Streatham - Biophysics PHY210) 5825
(Biophysics PHY210) 01392 725825
Overview
Megha Mehta attained her Bachelors in Chemistry(Honors) from University of Delhi, India and later completed her Masters in Forensic Science from University of Technology, Sydney. While working on her master’s research project on drug detection using Raman spectroscopy, she has developed interest in vibrational spectroscopy to pursue her Ph.D. Megha attained her PhD in nanoscience on environmental and biological analysis using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, from Massey University, New Zealand in 2019 and obtaining “Massey University Dean’s Graduation Award”. In conjunction with her Ph.D., she also worked as a Graduate Assistant in nanoscience department. After Ph.D., Megha worked with New Zealand Leather and Shoe Research Association as a Research Scientist for 2 years and obtained ‘Young Leather Scientist Award’ in 2020.
Megha is a Member of Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC). Megha is currently working as a postdoctoral fellow on the Raman Nanotheranostics project (RaNT, EPSRC programme grant, Exeter U., STFC, Cambridge U. and UCL) with Prof. Nick Stone for developing novel methods for non-invasive personalised cancer diagnosis using SERS and SESORS.
“RaNT” project is a prestigious EPSRC funded project with University of Exeter as the leading partner, along with collaborators from University of Cambridge, University College London and STFC laboratories. My present work deals with developing injectable nanoparticles for cancer detection and therapy. It is exciting to be able to follow my research ideology and stay true to my passion by focussing on real-life challenges and researching a potential implementable solution. My work involves designing and synthesizing “intelligent” gold nanostructures with special optical properties, that when injected into the blood of a human can search and reach cancer tumours precisely, and by tracking the nanostructures, the location of the tumour can be detected by optical spectroscopy (no radiation damages like X-ray or MRI scans to patients). Once detected, light can be used from outside the body to activate these nanoparticles to heat up and kill the cancer cells, allowing therapy without potentially having deterrent affects of chemo or radiation therapy.
