Research

The Mehta Lab is interested in understadning repalictaion stress in a variety fo contexts incuding strand specific replication stress, and viewing small viruses as genotoxic agents.  Defects in DNA repair precesses lead to diseases, cancer, and aging.

Graduate Training

B.S. in Biochemistry, French UW-Madison, 2006

M.Sc. Bioprocess Engineering, Northwestern University, 2008

Ph.D. Molecular Virology, Northwestern University, Dr. Laimonis Laimins Lab, 2018

K99 Postdoctoral Fellow, Vanderbilt University, Dr. David Cortez Lab, 2023

Recent Publications

1. 1. Hierarchical determinants of the oxidation-induced mutational landscape in human cells. Cordero C*, Mehta KPM*#, Weaver TM*, Ling JA, Freudenthal BD#, Cortez D#, Roberts SA#. Nature Communications\ Dec 23;15(1):10722. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-55497-z. * Co-first author. # Co-corresponding author.
   2. CHK1 phosphorylates PRIMPOL to promote replication stress tolerance. Mehta KPM, Thada V, Zhao R., Krishnamoorthy A., Leser M., Lindsey Rose K., Cortez D. Science Advances, 2022. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abm0314
   3. HMCES Maintains Replication Fork Progression and Prevents Double-Strand Breaks in Response to APOBEC Deamination and Abasic Site Formation. Mehta KPM , Lovejoy CA, Zhao R, Heintzman DR, Cortez DK. Cell Reports, 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107705
   4. Human papillomaviruses activate and recruit SMC1 cohesin proteins for the differentiation-dependent life cycle through association with CTCF insulators. Mehta KP, Gunasekharan VK, Satsuka A, Laimins L. PLoS Pathogens, 2015. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004763