Chemistry right for award-winning UWS student

A University of Western Sydney student’s high-calibre chemistry experiments, which may lead to better cancer detection, have been recognised by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

Abhishek Gupta, now a PhD candidate at UWS, recently received the 2012 RACI Western Sydney Section Honours Prize for the Honours thesis he completed while enrolled in the University’s Bachelor of Medical Science (Nanotechnology) program.

Gupta’s work is focused on improving the chemicals, or contrast agents, used to enhance and differentiate tumours from normal tissue when patients undergo an MRI scan.

“MRI scans are much safer for patients because other techniques such as X-rays and CT scans expose patients to ionising radiation, which is itself a potential cause of cancer. However, it has been a challenge to produce high-resolution MRI images of very small cancers and clearly distinguish diseased tissue from the surrounding healthy tissue,” said Gupta, who also received a University Medal at his graduation in April this year.

Abhishek Gupta holding his University Medal with Chancellor Professor Peter Shergold.

Medical MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, machines use very powerful magnets, sophisticated electronics and software to build images of organs, bones and other tissue inside patients. The magnetic fields are very strong (more than 200,000 times stronger than the Earth’s magnetic field) but  completely harmless, and there are no health risks for the patient.

Gupta says the magnetic fields and the power of the MRI scanners are increasing with each new model but the contrast agents used to make the tumours visible to the scanner are failing to keep up.

“We need better contrast agents to take advantage of the more powerful scanners,” he said.

“When I finished my undergraduate degree I decided I wanted to do a research project that involved both practical and theoretical components that involved chemistry, medical nanotechnology and medical physics. I could see researching contrast agents could make a difference and may help doctors detect cancers even earlier - giving people a better chance of surviving.”

The contrast agent used in the brain scan on the right helps to clearly identify a tumour.

Professor Bill Price, a world renowned leader in MRI research from the UWS School of Science and Health and School of Medicine, taught Gupta in the UWS undergraduate program and also heads the lab where he is now completing his PhD.

“Abhishek is a worthy recipient of the RACI prize. He was an outstanding undergraduate student at UWS who has also shown a real passion for research,” said Professor Price, Director of the Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Facility in the UWS School of Science and Health.

“Abhishek was able to get a taste for research science at the facilities on our Campbelltown campus during the undergraduate program. The interest in research grew and now he’s on his way to gaining a doctorate and is already a valued member of the team.”

Gupta is currently undertaking his PhD under the supervision of Professor Price, Dr Tim Stait-Gardner from UWS and Dr Minoo Moghaddam (CSIRO) on prestigious UWS and CSIRO scholarships and is based at the advanced NMR/MRI research facility on the UWS Campbelltown campus.