Neel majored in biological sciences and English literature.
Though well-versed in clinical research by the time he began the Nexus Scholars Program in summer 2022, Neel Mehta ’23 entered a new frontier of lab research in working with Prof. Ben Sandkam, neurobiology and behavior. “Essentially, our project [involved using] single-cell RNA sequencing to identify gene expression in the retinal cells of guppies, using that technique to try and understand how guppies see color.” Neel explained that “this was my first intensive experience being in the lab, developing assays, developing protocols to run experiments, [and] analyzing experiments.”
Neel noted that his experience in the Sandkam lab helped him develop his patience with the research process. “I didn't realize how much time [and] fine tuning goes into designing [and] running an experiment, and analyzing data.”
Despite facing hiccups along the way, Neel was proud to display his work in his final Capstone presentation. “I [worked] for months trying to develop a protocol to isolate the retinal cone cells of [a] guppy,” he explained, “in the end, I [presented] a graph that showed the gene expression of these cone cells. It wasn't perfect, but being able to see that I actually was able to get some cone cells to analyze in the sequencer after months of not getting cells felt really good.”
Now a third-year medical student at Harvard Medical School, Neel researches the etiology of pediatric neurosurgical conditions. Though his research content has shifted, Neel emphasized that “the skills that you pick up in the lab are always going to stay with you. The ability to work through a protocol, critically think, and troubleshoot… are irreplaceable.” Neel also credits the mentorship of Prof. Sandkam and former Research Associate Matt Taves, PhD, as crucial to his learning experience.
Neel will be applying to residency in neurosurgery next year, with the goal of eventually pursuing pediatric neurosurgery. He also aims to run a lab to facilitate research that addresses congenital brain diseases. “[Offering] surgical intervention, developing new therapies and having a better molecular and genetic understanding of these diseases that I can then offer patients… would be the ideal vision,” he explained.
Neel encourages the current Nexus Scholars, particularly those in pre-professional tracks to value their research itself, as opposed to considering it a prerequisite for their future careers. “You should care about [your] project… not just for the sake of checking off a box or reaching some kind of tangible metric,” he explained. “Taking the time to be deliberately interested and passionate about what you're doing [sets you] up for success down the line.”
