Currently our lab is focusing on mass propagation and trait improvement in economically important plants through Plant Tissue Culture interventions. Particularly, we are interested in horticultural and medicinal plant species with a focus on developing their quality planting material for commercial cultivation and industrial relevance. Our strategies involve integrating induced mutagenesis, in vitro selection, and molecular biology approaches to improve desirable traits.

1. PLANTICA Innovative Research Award. 2022. awarded by Association of Plant Science Researchers (APSR)
2. M.S. Swaminathan Research Fellow Award. 2021, awarded by Association of Plant Science Researchers (APSR)
3. Young Scientist Award. 2021, awarded by Association of Plant Science Researchers (APSR)- PLANTICA
4. PLANTICA Best Thesis Award- PhD, 2020. awarded by Association of Plant Science Researchers (APSR)
5. Uma Datt Mamgain Memorial Best Research Award at Doctorate Level, 2019. awarded by Society of Advancement in Human and Nature (SADHNA)
6. Best Interactive Poster Presentation Award In: International conference on Next Generation Plant Production and Bioresources utilization Technologies organised by IIT, Guwahati, India in association with International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS) on Feb, 11-13, 2019.
7. Received Certificate of Recognition for Achievements in Research and Publication at Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences on Feb 21, 2024.
8. Received Appreciation Certificate for Top Performing Mentor in SWAYAM-NPTEL Online Certification Course ‘Introduction on Intellectual Property to Engineers and Technologists'.
9. Received Appreciation Certificate for Top Performing Mentor in SWAYAM-NPTEL Online Certification Course ‘Experimental Biotechnology'.

Research Articles:

1. Vishal Sharma*, Manisha Thakur and Anjali Chauhan. 2024. Isolation, identification, pathogenicity test and molecular characterization of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. zingiberi causing Fusarium yellows disease from infected rhizomes of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.). Journal of Plant Pathology. 106: 1363-1368 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42161-024-01652-w
   
2. Komaljeet Gill, Pankaj Kumar, Vishal Sharma, Shivanti Negi, Megha Sharma, Rajnish Sharma, Ajay Kumar Joshi. 2024. Unraveling phenotypic ambiguities of kagzi and ornamental lime accessions: a comprehensive exploration through morpho‑biochemical and DNA marker profiling. Genetic resources and Crop Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-024-01862-2
   
3. Sharma S, Malhotra PK*, Goyal M, Sharma V*, Mittal A, Yadav IS, Sanghera GS, Chhuneja P. 2023. Characterization of sugarcane mutants developed through gamma irradiations for their lignin content and caffeic acid-o-methyl transferase (COMT) gene mutations. International Journal of Radiation Biology.100(4): 619-626doi.org/10.1080/09553002.2023.2295962
   
4. Jagveer Singh, Ankush Sharma, Vishal Sharma, Popat Nanaso Gaikwad, Gurupkar Singh Sidhu, Gurwinder Kaur, Nimarpreet Kaur, Taveena Jindal, Parveen Chhuneja, H. S. Rattanpal. 2023. Comprehensive genome‑wide identification and transferability of chromosome‑specific highly variable microsatellite markers from citrus species. Scientific Reports. 13: 10919. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-37024-0
   
5. Sidhu GS, Kumar D, Vishal Sharma*, Singh J, Malhotra PK. 2024. An Efficient Protocol for Direct in vitro Regeneration in ‘Daisy’ and ‘W. Murcott’: Commercially Important Mandarins. Applied Fruit Science 66, 1619–1629. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10341-024-01140-6 
   
6. Aayushee Thakur, Amarjit K Nath, Vishal Sharma*. 2023. Genetic Homogeneity Analysis in Tissue Culture Raised Fragaria ananassa Duch. Revealed Through PCR Based Molecular Markers. Erwerbs-Obstbau. doi.org/10.1007/s10341-023-00995-5
   
7. Thakur M, Luharch R, Vishal Sharma, Sharma DP. 2022. Molecular markers based genetic relatedness studies in tissue culture propagated Japanese plum cultivars Santa Rosa and Frontier. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 69: 567-575 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-021-01325-y
   
8. Sharma P, Nath AK, Dhiman SR, Dogra S, Vishal Sharma. 2022. Characterization of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) genotypes and gamma irradiated mutants using RAPD, ISSR and SSR markers. South African Journal of Botany. 148: 67-77 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2022.04.012
   
9. Vishal Sharma* and Thakur M. 2021. Applicability of SCoT markers for detection of variations in Fusarium yellows resistant lines of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) induced through gamma irradiations. South African Journal of Botany. 140: 454-460  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2021.01.021
   
10. Vishal Sharma* and Thakur M. 2021. Gamma irradiations induced morphological and biochemical variations in in vitro regenerated ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.)- an invaluable medicinal spice. International Journal of Radiation Biology. 97(12): 1696-1704  https://doi.org/10.1080/09553002.2021.1988179 
11. Vishal Sharma, Thakur M* and Tomar M. 2020.In vitro selection of gamma irradiated shoots of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. zingiberi and molecular analysis of the resistant plants. Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture.143: 319-330https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-020-01919-x
    
12. Thakur M*, Vishal Sharma and Rakshandha. 2021. Propagation of plum (Prunus salicina L.) cultivar Frontier in vitro through control of shoot tip necrosis (STN) and validation of genetic integrity using ISSR markers. Plant Physiology Reports. 26: 238-246https://doi.org/10.1007/s40502-021-00580-6
13. Thakur M*, Rakshandha, Vishal Sharma, Chauhan A. 2021. Genetic fidelity assessment of long term in vitro shoot cultures and regenerated plants in Japanese plum cvs Santa Rosa and Frontier through RAPD, ISSR and SCoT markers. South African Journal of Botany. 140: 428-433 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2020.11.005
14. Thakur M, Soni M, Sharma DP, Vivek M and Vishal Sharma*. 2018. In vitro propagation of Plum (Prunus salicina) cv. Santa Rosa and assessment of genetic stability using RAPD markers. Indian Journal of Plant Physiology. 23(1): 161-168 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40502-018-0354-z
15. Kumar A*, Vishal Sharma and Thakur M. 2020. In vitro rooting and hardening of clonal cherry rootstock Gisela 5. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences. 90(5): 1032-1035
    
16. Sharma K, Thakur M* and Vishal Sharma. 2020. Cost effective in vitro propagation of Gisela 5 cherry rootstock. Indian Journal of Horticulture77 (4): 589-594.DOI:10.5958/0974-0112.2020.00085.7
    
17. Thakur M*, Vishal Sharma and Kumari G. 2018. In vitro production of disease free planting material of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.)- A single step procedure. Research Journal of Biotechnology. 13(3): 25-29
    
18. Vishal Sharma*, Thakur M and Kumar A. 2017. An Efficient Method for in vitro propagation of Gisela 5 (Prunus Cerasus X Prunus Canescens) - clonal cherry rootstock. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 6(8): 2617-2624
    
19. Thakur M*, Vishal Sharma, Sharma DP, Kumari G and Vivek M. 2016. In vitro propagation of virus indexed Gisela-5 (Prunus cerasus x Prunus canescens)- clonal cherry rootstock. International Journal of Crop Science and Technology. 2(2): 87-99

Review Articles:

1. Vishal Sharma*, Manisha Thakur,Sukhjinder Singh Maan,Kamlesh Verma, Aayushee Thakur, Suprasanna Penna. 2024. In Vitro Mutagenesis: A Non‑invasive Technology for Effective Crop Improvement to Assure Food and Nutritional Security-Current Trends, Advancements and Future Perspectives. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation. 44: 484-507 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-024-11484-8

2. Priyanka Suthar, Satish Kumar, Vikas Kumar, Vishal Sharma, Atul Dhiman. 2023. Postbiotics: An Exposition on Next Generation Functional Food Compounds - Opportunities and Challenges. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2023.2289646

3. Popat Gaikwad^#, Vishal Sharma^#, Jagveer Singh, Gurupkar Singh Sidhu, Harpreet Singh and Ahmad A. Omar. 2023. Biotechnological advancements in Phytophthora disease diagnosis, interaction and management in citrus. Scientia Horticulurae. 310: 111739.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2022.111739

4. Ananya Mukherjee, Uma Maheshwari, Vishal Sharma*, Ankush Sharma, Satish Kumar. 2024. Functional insight into multi-omics-based interventions for climatic resilience in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)- a nutritionally rich cereal crop. PLANTA. 259:91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-024-04365-7 

5. Anika Panwar, Vikas Kumar, Atul Dhiman, Priyanka Thakur, Vishal Sharma, Ajay Sharma, Satish Kumar. 2023. Nanoemulsion based edible coatings for quality retention of fruits and vegetables-decoding the basics and advancements in last decade. Environmental Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.117450

6. Anchal Tandon, Anupama Singh, Aayushee Thakur, Vishal Sharma. 2023. Nanomaterial mediated genome engineering for sustainable food production: Current status and future prospects. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology.54: 102891.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcab.2023.102891

7. Aayushee Thakur, Anupama Singh, Anchal Tandon,Vishal Sharma*. 2023. Insights into the molecular mechanisms of uptake, phytohormone interactions and stress alleviation by silicon: a beneficial but nonessential nutrient for plants.Plant Growth Regulation. 101: 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-023-01002-3

8. Alka Jangra, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Naveen Kumar, Hardeep Singh, Vishal Sharma*, Manisha Thakur, Siddharth Tiwari. 2022. Polyamines: The gleam of next generation plant growth regulators for growth, development, stress mitigation and hormonal crosstalk in plants- a systematic review. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation. 42: 5167-5191. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-022-10846-4

9. Sahil Chaudhary, Vikas Kumar, Vishal Sharma, Rakesh Sharma and Satish Kumar. 2022. Chitosan Nanoemulsion: Gleam into the Futuristic Approach for Preserving the Quality of Muscle Foods. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 199: 121-137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.12.046

I am excited to build a dynamic team of highly motivated and innovative researchers. If you hold an independent Ph.D. or PostDoc fellowship, or are interested in exploring such opportunities, please feel free to reach out to me via email.