Dr. Garima Sharma

Plants and their endophytes share a symbiotic interaction, involving metabolic and physiological co-dependence, which enables them to synthesize a plethora of bioactive compounds. These metabolites are not only effective therapeutic agents but also provide an exclusive breakthrough in novel compound research. In order to study the therapeutic potential of these bioactive compounds, her research focuses on the antiproliferative activity of medicinal plant endophytes. Her work also focuses on the nature of plant-endophyte interactions using both biochemical and molecular approaches. 

• Ph.D. from Maharishi Dayanand University (Rohtak) and Research fellow in Animal Plant Interaction lab, Dept of Zoology, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, 2024. 
• M.Sc. Biochemistry from H.N.B Gharwal University in 2008-10 (Ist Division).
• B.Sc. Biotechnology from C.C.S. University in 2007 (Ist Division). 

1. Verma, K., Agarwal, S., Sharma, G., Singhal, A., Mullick, R., & Mathur, V.* (2025). Growth-Promoting Endophytes as Immunity Booster for Brassica juncea against Insect Attack. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 51(2), 32. 
2. Sharma, G., & Mathur, V. (2024). Improving Brassica Juncea (L.) Defences against Herbivory Through Phosphate-solubilizing Bacteria. HEXAPODA, 83-90. 
3. Verma, K., Sharma, G., Sinha, P.G., Nishu & Mathur, V.* (2024). Identifying Bacteria from Urban Soil for Degrading Soil Organic Contaminants of Emerging Concern. Water Air & Soil Pollution 235, 797. 
4. Sharma, G., Agarwal, S., Bhardwaj, R., Barvkar, V. T., Godbole, R. C., Kumar, V., ... & Mathur, V. (2024). Pharmacological Potential of Curcuma longa Endophytes. The Microbe, 100187.
5. Sharma, G., Sinha, P. G., & Mathur, V*. (2024). Molecular Evidence of Crosstalk Between Bacterial Endophytes and Plant Transcriptome in Brassica juncea. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 1-19.
6. Htun, P. W., Sharma, G., & Mathur, V*. (2024). Fungal pathogen: A game changer for insect herbivore in sequential attack on tomato. South African Journal of Botany, 172, 116-124.
7.  Sharma, G., Agarwal, S., Bhardwaj, R., Barvkar, V. T., Kumar, V., & Mathur, V*. (2024). Biological activities and metabolic profile of endophytic Bacillus haynesii from Momordica charantia. bioRxiv, 2024-05.
8.  Sharma, G., Bhardwaj, R., Barvkar, V. T., Godbole, R. C., Kumar, V., & Mathur, V*. (2024). Host-specific endophytes of Momordica charantia: A promising source for affordable lung cancer therapeutics. South African Journal of Botany, 170, 181-193.
9. Sharma, G., Sinha, P. G., Verma, K., Walia, D., Lahiri, M., & Mathur, V*. (2023). Isolation and characterization of phenanthrene-degrading bacteria from urban soil. Bioremediation Journal, 1-14.
10. Verma, K., Sinha, P. G., Sharma, G., Agarwal, S., Verma, A., & Mathur, V*. (2023). Rhizosphere–plant–microbial system under polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-induced stress. CURRENT SCIENCE, 125(8), 837.
11.  Thakur, H., Agarwal, S., Hradecký, J., Sharma, G., Li, H. F., Yang, S. E., Sehadová, H., Chandel, R. S., Hyliš, M., Mathur, V., Šobotník, J., & Sillam-Dussès, D. (2023). The Trail-Following Communication in Stylotermes faveolus and S. halumicus (Blattodea, Isoptera, Stylotermitidae). Journal of chemical ecology 10.1007/s10886-023-01447-w. 
12. Sharma, G., Agarwal, S., Verma, K., Bhardwaj, R., & Mathur, V*. (2023). Therapeutic compounds from medicinal plant endophytes: molecular and metabolic adaptations. Journal of Applied Microbiology, lxad074. (IF:4.05)
13. Agarwal, S, Sharma, G., Verma, K., Narayanan, L. and Mathur, V.* (2022) Pharmacological potential of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and their symbionts"  Entomologia Experimentalis et applicata (accepted)
14. Sharma G., Malthankar P.A. and Mathur V.* (2021). Insect–Plant Interactions: A Multilayered Relationship. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 114(1): 1-16 . DOI: 10.1093/aesa/saaa032 (IF: 2.099)
15. Sharma G. and Mathur V.* (2020). Modulation of insect-induced oxidative stress responses by microbial fertilizers in Brassica juncea. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 96, fiaa040. doi: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa040 (IF: 3.675)
16. Sharma G., Rahul, Guleria, R. & Mathur V.* (2019). Differences in plant metabolites and microbes associated with Azadirachta indica with variation in air pollution. Environmental Pollution, 257, 113595 DOI:  10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113595 (IF: 6.792)
17. Rubabura, J.A.K., Sharma G., & Mathur, V. (2020). Effect of environmentally sustainable microbial fertilizer on Insect-induced plant responses. Environment Conservation Journal, 21(1&2), 1-11.
18. Sharma G., Anjulo M.A. and Mathur V.* (2019). Microbial fertilizer improves constitutive and induced resistance of tomato against a generalist insect. International Journal of Zoology and animal Biology 2(1): 000135.
19. Kalia V.*, Sharma G. and Ganguly S. (2018). Virulence of Native EPN Strains and their Symbionts alone to Polyphagous Lepidopteran Pests vis a vis Model Insect Galleria melonella along with in vivo Production. Entomology, Ornithology and Herpetology, 7: 210. doi: 10.4172/2161-0983.1000210 
20. Mathur V.* and Sharma G. (2016). Do microbial fertilizers increase immunity in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) against insects? Natural resource management ecological perspectives: Proceedings of the Indian Ecological society, 2: 716. ISBN:978-93-5254-337-3.
21. Rai A., Imran, Anjulo M.A., Sharma G., Azerefegne F. and Mathur V.* (2016). Effect of phosphate solubilizing bacteria on constitutive and induced responses of tomato (Ilycopersicum esculantum) against tobacco cutworm (Spodoptera litura: Fabricus)(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Natural resource management ecological perspectives: Proceedings of the Indian Ecological society, 2: 759. ISBN:978-93-5254-337-3.
22. Kalia V., Sharma G., Shapiro-Ilan D.I. and Ganguly S. (2014). Biocontrol Potential of Steinernema Thermophilum and Its Symbiont Xenorhabdus Indica against Lepidopteran Pests: Virulence to Egg and Larval Stages. Journal of Nematology 46(1):18–26. (IF: 1.081)
23. Pranaw K., Singh S., Dutta D., Singh N., Sharma G., Ganguly S., Kalia V.,  Naina L. (2013). Extracellular serralysin type metalloprotease from Xenorhabdus indica and its potential as an insecticidal agent Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 23(11); 1536–1543. (IF: 1.32).

1.  Agarwal, S., Sharma, G., Mathur, V. (2024). Plant Endophytes: A Treasure House of Antimicrobial Compounds. In: Kumar, V., Shriram, V., Dey, A. (eds) Medicinal Plants and Antimicrobial Therapies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7261-6_5 
2.  Mathur V.* and Sharma, G.(2019).  Endosymbionts of Plants and Marine organisms: A Search for Lung Cancer Drug. In Madhunapantula S.V (ed.) Drug development from natural resources, Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Pp. 18-36.  

1. Garima Sharma, Surbhi Agarwal, Rashmi Bharadwaj, Vitthal T. Barvkar, Rucha C. Godbole, Vinay Kumar, Nandita Narayanasamy and Vartika Mathur (2023). Curcuma longa Endophytes: Microfactories of bioactive compounds with pharmacological prospects. Oral presentation at International Conference on Advances in Biotechnology: Current Discoveries and Future Perspectives (ICAB- 2023), at Amity University, Mumbai Maharashtra, India held on 17th and 18th October 2023.
2. Garima Sharma, Rashmi Bhardwaj and Vartika Mathur (2022). Evaluating antioxidant and anti-proliferative activity of endophytes from medicinal plants against lung cancer”. Oral Presentation at “Research Conclave 2022” at Sri Venkateswara college, New Delhi held on 14th Feb 2022.
3. Garima Sharma, Rashmi Bhardwaj and Vartika Mathur (2020). Endophyte Derived Natural   Bioactive Compounds in Cancer Therapy. Poster presented at the International   conference of Natural Products and Human Health-2020 organized by Deshbandhu   College (University of Delhi), New Delhi, India held on 27th-29th  February 2020.
4. Garima Sharma, Rahul, Randeep Guleria and Vartika Mathur* (2020). Impact of air pollution on plant   microbiome: An insight to urban ecosystems. Oral presentation delivered at International Workshop on Air Pollution and Public   Health: Challenges and Interventions held on 5 – 7 February 2020, organized   by NAM S&T Centre and Sri Venkateswara College, New Delhi, India.
5. Garima Sharma, Rahul Tomar, Akshanshi   Gulani, Ankita Saha, Aastha Saini, Amit Bhatt, Vaibhav Sharma, Akansha Saxena, Pooja Yadav and Vartika Mathur* (2019). Adaptation of plant-microbe association and plant metabolites in Neem to urban ecosystem. Oral presentation delivered at the International Conference on Changing Environment: Understanding the Emerging Challenges and their Management Strategies, held   on 11-12th April by Kalindi College (D.U.), New Delhi, India. 
6. Garima Sharma and Vartika Mathur* (2017). Microbial fertilizers enhance the plant antioxidants in response to insect attack. Poster presentation at International conference and outreach program on “Environment and Ecology: Sustainability and Challenges” held on 4-6th January 2017 by Sri Venkateswara college (D.U.), New Delhi, India. 

1. Participated in 3 day “Training Workshop on Modern Analytical Techniques (under DBT-BUILDER)' at the Department of Biotechnology, P.E.S. Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Ganeshkhind, Pune held on 12th to 14th October 2023 
2. • Participated one day online workshop on "Authentication of Medicinal Plants & Phyto-chemical Profiling of their Actives” conducted by The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU) on 8th January 2022.Participated in the Capacity Building Training Program on "Research Paper writing" conducted by National Productivity Council (NPC), Government of India in association with Sri Venkateswara College (University of Delhi) on 10th November 2021.
3. Participated in the International Symposium on “Recent Methodologies and Advances in Termite Research” organized by Department of Zoology on September 28th, 2021.
4. One of the 21 participants selected for the workshop on "Oral communication in Science" organized by EMBO and India Biosciences from12-29th Jan 2021.  
5. Completed Journal Citation Report (JCR)- South Asia Training and Certification Program 2020 organized by Web of  Science group and Clarivate Analytics, held on 5th & 15th  May 2020. 
6. Participated in “Indo-US    symposium on Allergy & Asthma” held at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; on 15th & 16th December 2018.
7. Participated in the one-day workshop and hands-on experience in “Advanced Spectrophotometry” & “Dynamic Light Scattering”  held at Department of Zoology, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi;  on 9th October 2018.
8. Participated  in a Hands on training workshop on “Isolation and identification of endophytes from Rice and Brassica sp.” At Department of plant pathology, University of Agricultural Sciences, G.K.V.K., Bangalore from 3rd to 9th May 2017. 

1. Member of Applied Microbiology International (AMI) from Oct 2023.
2. Reviewer for “Journal of Plant Growth Regulation” (Springer) and “Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine”
3. News article title “Unraveling the secret microbial power within medicinal plants” based on my research article was published in the magazine “The Microbiologist”.  
4. Qualified GATE-2017 in the subject “Life sciences” with 94.17 percentile.
5. Member of Society of Experimental Biology (SEB) (U.K.) from March 2015- March 2016.
6. First rank and for securing highest marks in M.Sc. Biochemistry in both 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 in Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Dehradun, India.