A/Prof Divya Mehta

Queensland University of Technology
Research Field: Mental Health, Stress

Over 45% of Australians (11 million people) experience a mental disorder during their life. Stress affects everyone, but a key question is – why do we all respond differently to stress? 

Dr Divya Mehta studies Australian students, veterans and emergency responders to investigate why people react differently to stress and which risk and protective factors drive this response.  

Her research has identified that positive lifestyle factors such as social support, exercise and belongingness reduce the negative effects of stress on our genes and benefit our mental health.

Divya is actively involved in communicating about mental health research to the public through lectures, workshops and media appearances. She has been interviewed for ABC Radio National’s Health report on her mental health research and by Channel 7 on her research into Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in veterans. She organised a popular public lecture on mental health to inform about mental health research and pathways to treatment and recovery with over 250 attendees. 

Dr Divya Mehta completed her PhD in 2009 at the Technical University of Munich in Germany.  She is currently a Principal Research Fellow and Team Leader of the Stress genomics group at the Queensland University of Technology.

2021
Mental Health, Stress, PTSD