Education: B.Sc.(Hons), PU, Chandigarh (1985); M.Sc.(Hons), PU, Chandigarh,(1987); Ph.D., PU, Chandigarh (1993)

Positions held: Assistant Professor, PAU Ludhiana (1994-2004), Associate Professor (2004-2010), Professor (2010-till date)

Field of Specialization: Plant Biochemistry

Research Interests: (Maximum up to three areas of interest)

1. Nutritional quality of pulses and oilseeds 2. Metal toxicity in plants

3. Biotic stress tolerance in crops

Research Projects:

1. Biochemical profiling of soybean germplasm for nutrients, antinutrients and bioactive compounds (UGC as PI)

2. Biochemical indicators of selenium toxicity in crops grown over seleniferous regions in Punjab (CSIR as PI)

3. Biochemical and molecular characterization of lectins from Brassica species and wild crucifers and to assess their anti-aphid potential (DBT as CoPI)

4. Host range, survival, variability and management of Fusarium verticilloides causing foot rot disease of Basmati rice (UGC as COPI)

5. DBT-BUILDER- Punjab Agricultural University Interdisciplinary Life Science Programme for Advance Research and Education. (Project No 44293). (As PI) July 2021-June2026.

Selected Research Publications (maximum up to 5): The faculty member listing these publications should be either 1^st, 2^nd or corresponding author only.

1. Bhadwal S and Sharma S. (2022) Selenium alleviates physiological traits, nutrient uptake and nitrogen metabolism in rice under arsenate stress. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 29(47):70862-70881. (NAAS 10.22 IF 4.022).

2. Bhadwal S and Sharma S (2022) Selenium alleviates carbohydrate metabolism and nutrient composition in arsenic stressed rice plants. Rice Sci 29(4): 385-396 (NAAS 9.33 IF 3.33))

3. Jain V and Sharma S (2022) Physicochemical and proximate composition of mungbean x urdbean and mungbean x ricebean interspecific lines.J Food Comp Anal. 111(4): 104593 (NAAS 10.556 IF 4.556)

4. Jain V and Sharma S (2021) Mungbean x ricebean and mungbean x urdbean interspecific lines are nutritionally comparable to mungbean cultivars. J food Comp Anal 104:104171(IF 4.556, NAAS 9.72)

5. Kaur M and Sharma S (2018) influence of selenate and selenite on growth, leaf physiology and antioxidant defence system in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). J Sci Food Agric 98(15):5700-5710 (NAAS 8.46)

Awards/Honours/Distinctions

· National Merit Scholarship (1980-87), Ministry of Education, Govt. of India.

· Junior and Senior Research Fellowships, University Grants Commission (1987-1992) for pursuing the PhD. degree after clearing national level entrance examination.

· First position in Biochemistry at B.Sc. (Hons.) and M.Sc.(Hons.) level.

· University medals, Punjab University, Chandigarh for standing first in B.Sc. (Hons.) Biochemistry and M.Sc. (Hons.) Biochemistry.

· Dr. Ram Ji Narain Gold Medal for being Best student in M.Sc. (Hons.) School.

· Travel Award by Third World Academy of Sciences, Italy for attending workshop on “Protein Structure Elucidation” HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, Karachi, Pakistan.

· Postdoctoral fellowship at College of Environment and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh, USA.

· Nominated Fellow of Indian Society of Agricultural Biochemists, Kanpur.