RESEARCHER PROFILE
Professor Divya Mehta, Principal Research Fellow
Stress Genomics Laboratory, School of Biomedical Sciences
QUT (Queensland University of Technology), Australia
Understanding the interaction between genes and lifestyle factors in response to stress can lead to potential therapeutic interventions for stress-related disorders. This research is crucial for promoting health and well-being.
Professor Divya Mehta works as a Principal Research Fellow at the Stress Genomics Laboratory, in QUT (Queensland University of Technology) in Australia, specialising in stress genomics and mental health. Her education started in the UK with undergraduate and Masters, followed by her PhD in Germany and postdoctoral at Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry. 11 years ago Professor Mehta moved to Australia.
Her focus is research is understanding how genes and lifestyle factors interact to drive our response to stress, particularly in emergency responders, veterans, and elite athletes, with a focus on epigenetics.
Epigenetics are the dynamic part of our DNA, that change across our lifetime in response to stress, exercise, social support, and nutrition, impacting our overall health.
Social support can reduce and reverse negative impacts of stress on genes, leading to potential therapeutic interventions for stress-related disorders.
Research at the intersection of statistics, genomics, and mental health can provide valuable insights into the devastating impact of mental health disorders on individuals, families, and communities.
Professor Mehta has recently commenced research into elite athlete physical and mental health impact performance, with research at the intersection of statistics, genomics, and mental health. This research is ahead of, and in anticipation of, the Summer Olympics in Brisbane in 2032.
Understanding the drivers of health and well-being is crucial for ensuring a happy and healthy life, which is Professor Mehta’s passion. Outside of the work environment, she also enjoys sports, volunteering for animal rescue, and spending time with family.
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Discovery of RANK Ligand’s role in bone metabolism and the immune system to treat osteoporosis
Emeritus Professor Jack Martin’s research began a discovery cascade that led to the identification of a new protein and the development of a novel and effective drug therapy that is now used worldwide to treat osteoporosis, cancer and other diseases.
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Non-invasive tools for CVD screening and monitoring
Dr Hadi Afsharan is a Research Fellow Cardiovascular Science & Diabetes at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research; is a translational research and innovation fellow in medical technologies at The University of Western Australia, holding dual titles as Translational Fellow and Innovation Fellow within UWA’s Medical School and the FHRI (Future Health Research and Innovation) program.
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Environmental exposure to function of lung epithelial stem cell biology
Dr Clare Weeden has recently commenced as a Laboratory Head at WEHI in 2025, supported by the CSL Centenary Fellowship.
Dr Weeden specialises in lung epithelial cell biology in the context of homeostasis, inflammation, and lung cancer, particularly in people who don’t smoke. Her work endeavours to understand how past environmental exposures shape the responses of lung cells and the molecular mechanisms underlying this cellular recall, with the aim to develop novel early detection strategies for lung disease.
