Education:
B.Sc., Home Science, COHSc, PAU, Ludhiana (2000). M.Sc., Food and Nutrition, COHSc, PAU, Ludhiana.(2002) Ph.D., Food and Nutrition, COHSc PAU, Ludhiana (2011).

Positions held :
Assistant Professor PAU, Ludhiana (2002 -2016), Associate Professor PAU Ludhiana (2016 -2019), Professor, PAU Ludhiana( 2019 till date)

Field of Specialization:
Food and Nutrition

Research Interests:
1.Public Health
2.Development of Functional foods
3.Food Safety

Projects:

1. Effect of household processing in reduction of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables ; Punjab Government funding from Rural development fund (RDF) (Co-PI)

2. “Business Planning and Sustainability: A study of FPOs in Punjab" in the scheme Misc-9 (PC-4268) funding by NABARD Punjab RO Chandigarh (2021) (Co-PI)

3. ‘Assessing Performance and future prospects: A study of selected FPOs in Punjab’ funding by NABARD Punjab RO Chandigarh (2022) (Co-PI)

Selected Publications (Five) :

1. Dharni K, Singh A, Sharma S, Midha V,Kaur K, Mahajan R, Dulai PS and Sood A (2023) Trends of inflammatory bowel disease from the Global Burdenof Disease Study (1990-2019) . Indian Journal of Gastroenterology DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s12664-023-01430-z ( Impact Factor 1.9)

2. Sehgal S, Sharma S, Sood A, Dharni K, Kakkar C, Batta S and Sahotra M (2023) Assessment and prediction of malnutrition and sarcopenia in liver cirrhosis patients. Nutrire 48: 6 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s41110-023-00189-9 (Impact factor: 1.28)

3. Bhatt P, Sharma S, Grover K, Sharma S, Dharni K and Dhatt AS (2023) Optimisation of nutritional composition, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) microgeen sprinkler using alternate drying techniques. Asian J of Dairy and Food Research. DOI: 110.18805/ ajdfr.DR-1955. (NAAS rating 5.75)

4. Mahar JB, Sharma S, Kaur R, Grover K, Dharni K and Nara U (2022) Ameliorative effect of lemongrass (Cymbopogon Flexuosus Nees ex Steud.) W. Watson and celery (Apium graveolens L.) against CCl₄ induced oxidative stress and acute hepatotoxicity in rats: An in vivo assessment. Annals of Phytomedicine 11(1):1-8. (NAAS rating 5.95)

5. Kivuyo N and Sharma S (2020) Dietary acculturation among African emigrant students in India: determinants and problem. Public Health Nutrition doi: 10.1017/S1368980019005226 (NAAS Rating 8.53)

Awards/Honours/Distinctions:

1. PAU Gold Medal for B.Sc. (Home Science)

2. PAU Merit Scholarship Holder for B.Sc. (Home Science)

3. PAU Merit Scholarship Holder for M.Sc. (Food and Nutrition)

4. PAU Merit Certificate for M.Sc. (Food and Nutrition)

5. Swaran Padak Award in Experimental Nutrition for the paper entitled " Hepato- protective effect of lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) detoxifying drink on carbon tetrachloride induced toxicity in rats" by Jyoti Bohra, Sonika Sharma and Kiran Grover during 53rd IDACON 2020- from January 8-10, 2021

6. Best Oral Presentation Award for the paper entitled ‘Biochemical Diversity in Brassica Leafy greens and sensory evaluation of its Saag quality’ by Sharma S, Devi J, Sardana V S and Sharma S in ICAAAS-2021 during 19-21, July 2021 at Meerut, India.

7. Best Oral Presentation Award for the paper entitled ‘Optimization of nutritional composition, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in broccoli (Brassica oleracea) microgreens using alternate drying techniques’ authored by Pooja Bhatt, Sonika Sharma, Kiran Grover, Savita Sharma, Ajmer Singh Dhatt and Khushdeep Dharni at TNAU Golden Jubilee International Seminar on 6^th September, 2021.

8. Best Abstract Award for the paper entitled ‘Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Three decadal status and trends from global burden of disease study 2019’ by Dharni K, Sharma S, Singh A, Mahajan R, Midha V and Sood A in the first annual meeting of Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa IBD Consortium (BRICS IBD 2021) during 18^th-20^th November, 2021 at Shangai, China.

9. Best Oral Presentation Award at International Conference on Clinical Nutrition and Dietary Lifestyle organized by USFN for the paper entitled ‘Augmentation of mineral content, antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds using different drying techniques in Brocolli (Brassica Oleracea) microgreen sprinkler’ authored by Pooja Bhatt, Sonika Sharma, Kiran Grover, Savita Sharma, Ajmer Singh Dhatt and Khushdeep Dharni at Bangalore during 20^th and 21^st May, 2022.

10. Best Oral Presentation Award at 54^th Annual Conference of Nutrition Society of India for the paper entitled “Effect of postharvest treatments on nutritional composition, physiological quality and shelf life of broccoli microgreens” authored by Manisha Patil, Sonika Sharma, Kiran Grover, Rahul Kumar Anurag and Khushdeep Dharni at Hyderabad during 22^nd -23^rd December, 2022

11. Best Oral Presentation at 6^th International Conference on Food and Nutrition by USFN, Universal Society of Food and Nutrition for the paper entitled “Hull-less pumpkin seed fortified Pasta: Nutritional Profiling , Phytochemicals and Bioactive characteristics ” authored by Shivani Kumari, Sonika Sharma, Kiran Grover, Ajmer Singh Dhatt , Sanjula Sharma and Jaspreet Kaur held on 25^th and 26^th October, 2023.

12. Best Oral Presentation Award at 55^th Annual Conference of the Nutrition Society of India (NSI) for the paper entitled “Nutrient Analysis of Germinated Quinoa Varieties: A path towards Superior, Nutrient Dense, Gluten free products” authored by Priya Rani, Sonika Sharma, Kiran Grover, Navjot Kaur and Ranjeet Gill.held at ICMR- NIN, Hyderabad on 25^th and 26^th November, 2023.

Research Proposal approved for inclusion in Package of Practices:

• Optimization of nutritional and biochemical composition of microgreens for utilization in food products. (Scientist(s) involved: Dr Sonika Sharma, Dr Kiran Grover, Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt and Dr Savita Sharma)

Research Technologies Commercialized:

1. Commercialization of “Pumpkin seeds technology” was done by signing MOA with Swaadum Labh, Jagraon, Proprietor Ms. Shruti Goyal on 10^th October, 2020 .(Scientist(s) involved: Dr Sonika Sharma and Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt)

2. Commercialization of “Vitamin D enriched mushroom powder technology” was done by signing MOA with Singing in Kitchen, Ludhiana, Proprietor Mrs Manjit Kaur on 29^th July, 2021. (Scientist(s) involved: Dr Sonika Sharma and Dr Shammi Kapoor)

3. Commercialization of “Vitamin D enriched mushroom powder technology” was done by signing MOA with Nature's Bestow, Dehradun, Proprietor Mr. Ashwani Sharma on 9^th March 2022. (Scientist(s) involved: Dr Sonika Sharma and Dr Shammi Kapoor)

4. Commercialization of “Vitamin D enriched mushroom powder technology” was done by signing MOA with D Artisanat Tales of Indian Handicrafts, Ludhiana, Proprietor Mrs Bhumika Kaushal on 17^th October 2023. (Scientist(s) involved: Dr Sonika Sharma and Dr Shammi Kapoor)