
Bio
Prof. Mehrotra is a distinguished global health leader, currently serving as an Adjunct Professor at Emory University, a Board Director for the Indian Cancer Genome Atlas, and the Centre for Health, Innovation and Policy Foundation.
His extensive leadership in public health includes directing India's National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, founding and heading the WHO-FCTC Global Knowledge Hub on Smokeless Tobacco Products, and t Founder-CEO of India Cancer Research Consortium. His academic affiliations extend globally, with Honorary Professorships at Brunel, York and Pretoria Universities, and prior roles as an Affiliate Investigator at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center's HABIT Lab, Seattle. He is also the Chief Medical Officer at the Open Health Sciences Laboratory. He has contributed as an independent member of the Scientific Council of the WHO IARC and as a standing editorial board member for the WHO IARC Cytopathology Purple books.
Beyond his academic and research career, Dr. Mehrotra is a fervent proponent of affordable cancer care, having spearheaded numerous impactful public health initiatives. He played a pivotal role in guiding India's Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in developing and implementing the Framework for Cancer Control. He was instrumental in launching HPV vaccination programs for cervical cancer in three states, most recently Sikkim.
With expertise in cancer prevention, epidemiology, pathology, and public health, Prof. Mehrotra has experience leading large multi-disciplinary teams, overseeing complex operations, and shaping national-scale strategic plans. He excels at fostering key institutional partnerships and leveraging evidence to influence policy. His extensive collaborative network spans government, academia, private, and not-for-profit sectors, facilitating projects with renowned international institutions such as the US National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the UK's National Institute of Health Research, The Union, and the World Health Organisation-Framework Convention for Tobacco Control.
An impactful researcher, he boasts a Scopus Impact Factor of 61 and over 300 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals including NEJM, Lancet, Cancer, BMJ, and Nature, complemented by numerous books, chapters, and technical reports. He serves on the editorial boards of 10 medical journals and has successfully led over ten research grants as Principal Investigator, securing significant funding.
His primary research interests encompass various aspects of non-communicable diseases, including the early diagnosis and screening of cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and tobacco control (with a focus on smokeless varieties). He is also dedicated to mentoring younger scientists and advancing health worker training. His significant contributions have been recognized with numerous prestigious accolades, including the Dr. P.N. Wahi and Dr. Lachman awards in Cancer Prevention, the Ernest Fernandes Award and the Wahi Oration of the Indian Academy of Cytologists, of which he is a past President in 2013.
A committed educator, he has successfully mentored more than three dozen graduate and post-graduate trainees in pathology, epidemiology, molecular cancer research, and global health. Dr. Mehrotra holds degrees in Medicine from the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, an MD and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Allahabad, and a Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathology from the United Kingdom.
Areas of Interest
- Epidemiology
- Cancer Prevention
- Tobacco Control and Prevention
- Global Health
- Obesity Prevention
- Disease Pathogenesis
- Public Health Policy
Education
- MBBS, University of Poona Armed Forces Medical College
- MD, University of Allahabad Moti Lal Nehru Medical College
- D Phil, University of Allahabad
- FRCPath, Royal College of Pathologists
Affiliations
Adjunct Professor, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
Board of Directors, Indian Cancer Genomic Atlas
Founder, Centre for Health, Innovation and Policy Foundation
Associate, Healis Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health https://www.healis.org/
Affiliate, Cancer Foundation of India http://www.cancerfoundationofindia.org
Extraordinary Professor, Pan African Cancer Research Institute. Pretoria, South Africa
Affiliate Investigator, Cancer Prevention Program- HABIT Lab, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA (2023-25)
Honorary Professor, College of Health, Medical and Life Sciences, Brunel University, London, UK
CMO and Member of the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Open Health Sciences Laboratory (OHSL), USA http://www.ohsl.us/teaming/council-of-advisors-for-science-and-technology-cast/cast-membership