The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc.   Curriculum Vitae: Vaishali Sharma
 

Vaishali Sharma
Plant Biology Division
Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
2510 Sam Noble Parkway
Ardmore, OK  73401 USA

Phone: (580)224-6640
Email: vasharma@noble.org 

Current Position

  • Research Associate (June 2008-present). Plant Biology Division. The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK.

Research Interests

  • Plant biochemistry, natural plant product/ secondary plant metabolite biosynthesis and metabolism.
  • Other interests include use of modern tools of proteomics, genomics and biotechnology for crop improvement. 

Education

  • PhD,  Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Punjab, India, 2004 – 2008
    Dissertation Title: Purification and characterization of prephenate dehydratase, an intermediate enzyme of catechins and flavour components biosynthesis in Camellia sinensis
  • MSc, Environmental Botany, Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi, India, 1997 – 1999
    Thesis Title: Effect of coal smoke pollutants on leaf and wood of Terminalia arjuna.
  • BSc, Biology, Zoology & Chemistry,  Maharishi Dayanand University, Haryana, India, 1994 - 1997 

Professional Experience

  • Research Associate, (6.2008-present)  Dr. Dixon’s lab, Plant Biology Division, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore OK
  • Senior Research Fellow, (4.2004-1.2008), Purification and characterization of prephenate dehydratase, an intermediate enzyme of catechins and flavour components biosynthesis in Camellia sinensis;  Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, CSIR, Himachal Pradesh, India
  • Project Research Fellow, (6.2001-3.2004), Niche pathway engineering in tea; Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, CSIR, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Skills & Techniques

  • Protein Biochemistry: Protein isolation, protein purification techniques, Gel electrophoresis (Native and SDS PAGE), Protein expression, HPLC, FPLC, Western blot, Column chromatography (ion exchange, size exclusion, affinity), Enzyme kinetics.
  • Molecular Biology: RNA, DNA isolation and purification, cDNA synthesis, PCR, RT PCR, primer construction, cloning, transformation, DNA sequencing, Northern & southern blotting, General tissue culture experience.
  • Miscellaneous: UV-VIS spectroscopy, GC, GC-MS, LC-MS, NMR, Thin layer chromatography (TLC), Infra red gas analyzer, ELISA 

Publications

  • Sharma V, Gulati A, Ravindranath S.D, Kumar V., “A simple and convenient method for analysis of tea biochemicals by reverse phase HPLC”, J. Food Comp. Anal. 18(6) 583-594 (2005).
  • Sharma V, Gulati A, Ravindranath S.D., “Extractability of tea catechins as a function of manufacture procedure and temperature of infusion”, Food Chem. 93(1) 141-148 (2005).
  • Sharma V, Gulati A., “Study of prephenate dehydratase enzyme in relation to catechins in Camellia sinensis,” Plant Physiol.Biochem. (2008). (Communicated).

Conference Papers & Presentations

  • Sharma V, Gulati A, Ravindranath, S.D., ”Extraction of tea catechins as a function of manufacture procedure and temperature of infusion”, First international Conference on Polyphenols and Health aspects, Vichy, France, Nov.17-21 (2003).
  • Rawat R, Gulati A, Sharma V, Singh B, and Ravindranath S.D., “Microwave energy in the quality green tea manufacture”, 3rd International Conference on Global advances in Tea science: Impact of Science on the Economics of Tea Industry, Kolkata, November 20-22 (2003).
  • Singh K, Kumar S, Sharma V, Gulati A, and Ahuja, P.S., “Understanding the regulation of catechin biosynthesis in tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze)”, Annual meeting of American Society of Plant Biologists, Orlando, July 24-28 (2004).
  • Sharma V, Gulati A, Ravindranath, S.D., “Effect Of manufacture style, extraction time and temperature of infusion on catechins and methyl xanthines of green tea”, XXII International Conference on Polyphenols, Helsinki, Finland, August 25-28 (2004).
  • Sharma V, Gulati A, Ahuja P.S., “Effect of biotic and abiotic stress on catechin content and prephenate dehydratase enzyme of tea (Camellia sinensis) grown in Kangra valley, Himachal Pradesh, India”, XXIIIrd International Conference on Polyphenols Winnipeg, Canada, August 22-25 (2006).
  • Sharma V, Gulati A., “Effect of abiotic factors and biotic stress caused by Exobasidium vexans on catechins content and prephenate dehydratase activity of tea grown in Kangra valley" ASPB Northeast meeting, April 18-19 (2008).

Awards

  • Senior Research Fellowship from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India.
  • CSIR travel grant recipient for paper presentation at First international Conference on Polyphenols and Health Aspects, France.
© 1997-2008 by The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc.