She is a senior research scientist at Edith Cowan University in Perth, a widely-published neuroscientist, mother of two girls and the 2018 40under40 award winner.
Meet 38-year-old Dr Veer Bala Gupta.
She is a neuroscientist who has dedicated her life to research about early stage diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr Gupta has worked extensively investigating the biochemical changes in individuals predisposed to the disease, prior to the appearance of clinical symptoms.
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Her work has helped promote early diagnostic blood screening for Alzheimer’s disease.
That’s not all. She has published over 60 peer-reviewed articles and two books along with playing an active role in the community to raise awareness about dementia and its early symptoms.
She was recently awarded the 2018 40under40 award in the Community and Not for Profit category.
She is also the winner of the highly competitive international BrightFocus award and, most recently, won the dementia leadership award from the National Health and Medical Research Council.
With her husband stationed in Sydney since last year, it has been incredibly exhausting for this mother of two but ‘my children keep me going’, says Dr Gupta, who is juggling her career with her parenting responsibilities single-handedly at the moment.
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“My husband is a physician and is currently training in Sydney with The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. He travels once in three months to see us. So for the time-being I am the sole carer of my children,” she says.
Dr Gupta migrated to Perth from Jammu in India with her family in 2008 after completing her PhD.
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“I joined Edith Cowan University as a research scientist and have played a lead role in establishing methods for early detection of Dementia,” she says.
Incredibly passionate about her research work, Dr Gupta says Australia is great place to make a career in research.
“There is a lot of emphasis on research in Australia, especially medical research. I feel very satisfied with my move to Australia.”
As mother of two girls, Dr Gupta’s day mostly revolves around her research work at the university and raising her two girls.
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“Without any family support, parents, it is very difficult to juggle. It is hard to manage all - drop offs, pick up, cooking and other responsibilities without any support. I see remarkable difference in what my peers can do just because they have support around them.
“As an immigrant, I believe we miss our family and friends in a big way.
“I cannot travel nationally or internationally and as a researcher that has had quite an impact on my career,” she says.
But she is not complaining.
Dr Gupta says her two daughters ‘are my strength who keep me going.’
She hopes it will get easier in coming months.
“I have recently taken up an offer to move to Melbourne and my husband will join me in Melbourne by next year. Hopefully, we will be more relaxed then,” she says.
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