Hi! My name is Mishika Mehta and I am a senior majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Chemistry! Something unique about me is that I lived in England for 7 years before coming to America. I love traveling whenever I can and hope to visit soon. I also live in State College, Penn State area, and it’s a very different environment (Pitt’s better). Outside of school, I really enjoy hiking, swimming, and hammocking and love warm weather as well.

My research for this summer is focused on Neurofibromatosis Type II (NF2), which is a rare genetic condition that leads to the uncontrolled growth of intracranial tumors. Individuals with this condition are highly likely to develop bilateral vestibular schwannomas and meningiomas, two benign brain tumors that can lead to significant disabilities in daily life. These tumors grow slowly and typically present as solitary tumors in the brain. However, meningioma in NF-2 patients often present as multiple tumors that grow in an uncontrollable manner. If untreated, the manifestations of NF2 meningiomas can cause debilitating symptoms and disrupt patient quality of life. Presently, very few studies have reported the long-term outcomes of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GKRS) as a treatment option for NF2 associated meningiomas. There is a need to contribute to the growing body of literature surrounding GKRS for NF2 meningiomas to improve clinical decision making around the treatment of NF2 tumors. I will be working under the guidance of Dr. Ajay Niranjan and other medical students as I conduct this study. This project would be the largest single institution experience utilizing SRS to treat NF2-assocaited meningiomas and will report overall survival, local tumor control, distant tumor control, symptom management and adverse radiation effects from SRS treatment.  

Throughout the Health Sciences Research Fellowship, I hope to get a deeper understanding of different research fields within the health sciences and learn new research methods. I hope to meet new peers working in similar fields and gain a new perspective, while learning about other projects being completed as well. I am currently thinking of medical school, but also keeping my mind open towards the research track and working through the fellowship will help me understand my interests a bit better and what may be a better fit for me. I have really enjoyed learning more about the aspects of clinical research and would like to continue it in my gap year as well. Through the fellowship, I will be able to learn new techniques, while gathering a better understanding of the different challenges and steps associated with clinical research and I will be able to apply that in my future career. I think one of the greatest ways of learning is through our friends and mentors and just by talking through our successes, failures, challenges, and goals will help us learn from one another and grow as individuals as well. I am excited to meet everyone and begin my project soon!