HQP Highlight Series: Hetvi Shah
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
Welcome to the HQP Highlight Series: a series of interviews designed to highlight the innovative research and diverse experiences of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) across the Carbon to Metal Coating Institute (C2MCI) network.
For this episode, we welcome the host of our series: Hetvi Shah, a PhD candidate working with Dr. Gang Zheng on nano-scale research at the University of Toronto. Today, Hetvi shares her insights on the exciting science taking place at C2MCI and the approaches, challenges, collaborations, and career journey behind her research.
Available on all streaming platforms:
Could you introduce yourself and briefly share what you’re currently working on at C2MCI?
I am a PhD student in Dr. Gang Zheng’s lab in the Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Toronto. My research focuses on establishing NHC-functionalized gold nanoclusters for improving therapeutic outcomes of photodynamic therapy and radiation therapy.
What first drew you to your field of research?
I was drawn to this field because it combines chemistry, nanotechnology, and medicine in a very direct way. The idea of collaborating on a project where all aspects of science (physics, chemistry and biology) are at play to come up with a novel cancer therapeutic is really exciting.
Which of your recent projects with C2MCI are you most proud of, and what made it special?
I am most proud of my work on NHC-functionalized Au13 nanoclusters for developing multifunctional platforms for cancer treatment. The people and collaborators that we get to work with to move the project forward makes it special.
Every conversation I have surrounding any aspect of this project always leads me to learning something new and exciting and that, to me, makes my PhD very fruitful.
Can you share a time you really enjoyed working as part of a team? What made it memorable?
During my co-op term at Sanofi Pasteur, I worked within a large, highly diverse team across different sites globally on the COVID-19 vaccine. Despite the urgency and challenges of that time, there was a strong sense of collaboration and shared purpose.
What made this memorable was the daily commitment everyone showed and the constant support, communication, and trust across teams working toward a common goal.
Have you ever mentored or trained someone? What did you learn from that experience?
Yes; at the end of my Master’s, I supervised two undergraduate students on their thesis projects. I guided them through project background, protocols, and experimental design.
The experience helped me strengthen my communication and patience, and it also deepened my own understanding of the work by teaching it to others.
How do you usually explain your research to someone outside your field?
I usually start by explaining the problem first—how cancer treatments can sometimes damage healthy tissue or not work as effectively as desired. Then, I describe my work as designing ultra-small gold-based materials that help make cancer therapy more targeted and efficient.
I often use simple analogies, like a lock-and-key system or a magnifying glass focusing light, to explain concepts like targeting and radiosensitization. This makes the science more relatable and easier to understand.
How do you prioritize tasks when juggling multiple projects or deadlines?
I rely heavily on my calendar and a structured to-do list. I typically plan my week in advance and map out experiments at least a few weeks ahead. I also build in flexibility, since unexpected results or urgent tasks often come up in research. This balance of planning and adaptability helps me stay on top of multiple projects and deadlines.
Can you share a time when you faced a tricky problem in the lab? How did you approach it?
During my Master’s, I worked on developing a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) protocol for adipose tissue, which is particularly challenging due to its high lipid content interfering with chromatin isolation.
To address this, I approached it as a method development problem by reviewing multiple protocols from different labs. I then combined and optimized key steps to create a tailored protocol that worked more effectively for our system.
Can you share a time when a project didn’t go as planned? How did you navigate the situation?
During my work on the COVID-19 vaccine project at Sanofi Pasteur, I faced challenges optimizing conditions to reliably characterize the spike protein in the vaccine formulation. Small variations were impacting reproducibility, which is critical in this context.
I addressed this by systematically troubleshooting one variable at a time, keeping detailed records, and collaborating closely with the team to refine the most robust conditions.
Do you have a favourite chemical element or molecule? Why does it stand out to you?
I would say my favourite element is gold—I’ve always loved wearing it, and now I get to work with it in a meaningful scientific way. It’s been exciting to see how it can be used beyond aesthetics, especially in nanomedicine. That said, during my undergrad, I would have said carbon because I really enjoyed organic chemistry.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting their journey in chemistry?
One piece of advice I would give is to trust that you don’t need to have everything figured out right away. In research, it’s normal to feel unsure at times, but that uncertainty is part of the learning process. Over time, you’ll build the knowledge and confidence to ask better questions and think more independently.
Give yourself the space to grow, and trust that you’re steadily becoming the scientist you aim to be.
The HQP Highlight Series is made possible by the support of the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (#NFRFT-2020-00573).
If you are a C2MCI HQP who might be interested in appearing in future instalments of the HQP Highlight Series, please reach out to Dr. Tetyana Levchenko to get involved.
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