Dr. Sonika Sharma is a distinguished academician and researcher in the field of Food and Nutrition, with over two decades of contribution to public health nutrition, functional foods development, and food safety. She has successfully completed national-level research projects funded by NABARD and Punjab Government. Presently, she is leading a research project funded by ICSSR, New Delhi. Her innovations in food product development—especially the commercialization of pumpkin seed flour and Vitamin D-enriched mushroom powder technology, Optimization of Nutritional Composition of Microgreens —underscore her translational research approach.

She had joined PAU service in 2002 as Assistant Professor at KVK, Kheri( Sangrur) and subsequently served at KVK, Fatehgarh Sahib and then joined the department of Food and Nutrition in 2011. She had a bright academic career with PAU Gold medal in her BSc ( Home Science) and Merit scholarship holder during her Graduation and Post graduation degrees. She has published research papers in high-impact journals and has guided 20 M.Sc. and 12 Ph.D. students. Her research has been recognized with numerous awards, including the prestigious IAPEN India Excellence Award 2024–25 and eleven Best Oral Presentation Awards at National and International conferences. She has been an executive member of two national level Nutrition Societies of India: IDA, Punjab Chapter and IAPEN, Ludhiana chapter.

Professional accomplishment- 

Projects:

1. Impact of screen timing on nutritional status and psychological distress among school children: A digital detox model by ICSSR , New Delhi ( 2024) ( On Going) (PI)
2. Assessing Performance and future prospects: A study of selected FPOs in Punjab’ funding by NABARD Punjab RO Chandigarh (2022) (Co-PI)
3. “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)
4. Effect of household processing in reduction of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables ; Punjab Government funding from Rural development fund (RDF) (2012-13) (Co-PI)

Selected Publications (Five) :

1. 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 10.54)
2. Patil M, Sharma S, Sridhar K, Anurag RK, Grover K, Dharni K, Mahajan S, Sharma M (2024) Effect of postharvest treatments and storage temperature on the physiological, nutritional, and shelf-life of broccoli (Brassica oleracea) microgreens. Scientia Horticulturae. 327 : 112805. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2023.112805 (NAAS rating : 10.30)
3. Kumari S, Sharma S, Kumar V, Dhatt A S, Sharma S, Grover K and Dharni K (2025) Comparative assessment of extraction methodologies for hull-less pumpkin seed oil: exploring the functional and nutraceutical potential . Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-025-03099-8 (NAAS rating : 9.30 )
4. Rani P, Sharma S, Grover K, Kumari S, Sachdev P, Gill R K and Grewal I S(2024) A comprehensive analysis of sensory excellence, nutritional proficiency, and shelf life in germinated quinoa chikki prepared from superior varieties and optimal cooking techniques Annals of Phytomedicine. 13(2): 1-11, 2024 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.54085/ap.2024.13.2.27 (NAAS rating : 8.70 )
5. Dharni K, Singh A, Sharma S, Midha V, Kaur K, Mahajan R, Dulai PS and Sood A (2024) Trends of inflammatory bowel disease from the Global Burdenof Disease Study (1990-2019) Indian Journal of Gastroenterology. 43: 188-98 DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s12664-023-01430z (Clarivate Impact Factor: 2.1 ≈ NAAS rating 8.1 )

Awards/Honours/Distinctions:

• PAU Gold Medal for B.Sc. (Home Science)
• PAU Merit Certificate for B.Sc. (Home Science)
• PAU Merit Certificate for M.Sc. (Food and Nutrition)
• IAPEN- India Excellence Award 2024-25 in the Category of ‘Academic Achievement in Nutrition’ at International Clinical Nutrition Conference (ICNC-2025) held at Varanasi on 22nd and 23rd Feb, 2025
• Best Oral Presentation Award at International Clinical Nutrition Conference ICNC-2025 for the paper ‘Development of Clinical Model to identify Sarcopenia in patients with Liver Cirrhosis: A cross sectional study’ authored by Sonika Sharma, Shaveta Batta, Pallavi Sehgal, Khushdeep Dharni, Chandan Kakkar and Ajit Sood at Varanasi on 22nd and 23rd Feb, 2025
• Best Paper Presentation Award at National Conference on Seed Spices and Allied Crops for the paper entitled “Recent advances in addressing the nutritional, industrial and therapeutic effects of magical spice: Kalonji (Nigella sativa)” authored by Shrishti Joshi, Shikha Mahajan, Arashdeep Singh and Sonika Sharma organized by Indian Society of Seed Spices and ICAR National Research Centre on Seed Spices on 13th and 15th March, 2024 .
• Best Oral Presentation Award at 2nd International Conference on Clinical Nutrition and Dietary Lifestyle for the paper entitled “Efficacy of Vitamin D2 Enriched Mushroom Powder Supplementation on Vitamin D Deficiency and Metabolic Syndrome Biomarkers in Adults- A Randomized Control Trial” authored by Alisha Bhatia, Sonika Sharma, Kiran Grover, Sanjeev Mahajan and Khushdeep Dharni organized by Universal Society of Food and Nutrition(USFN) on 23th and 24th February, 2024 .
• Best Oral Presentation Award at 55th 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 25th and 26th November, 2023.
• Best Oral Presentation Award at 6th 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 by USFN on the Theme ‘Emerging and Future trends in Food Health and Nutrition Wellbeing’ on 25th and 26th October, 2023.
• Best Oral Presentation Award at 54th 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 22nd -23rd December, 2022
• 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 20th and 21st May, 2022.
• 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 18th-20th November, 2021 at Shangai, China.
• 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 6th September, 2021.
• 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.
• 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

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 Approved and Commercialized:

• 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 17th October 2023. (Scientist(s) involved: Dr Sonika Sharma and Dr Shammi Kapoor)
• Commercialization of “Vitamin D enriched mushroom powder technology” was done by signing MOA with Nature’s Bestow, Dehradun, Proprietor Mr. Ashwani Sharma on 9th March 2022. (Scientist(s) involved: Dr Sonika Sharma and Dr Shammi Kapoor)
• Commercialization of “Vitamin D enriched mushroom powder technology” was done by signing MOA with Singing in Kitchen, Ludhiana, Proprietor Mrs Manjit Kaur on 29th July, 2021. (Scientist(s) involved: Dr Sonika Sharma and Dr Shammi Kapoor) Commercialization of “Pumpkin seeds technology” was done by signing MOA with Swaadum Labh, Jagraon, Proprietor Ms. Shruti Goyal on 10th October, 2020 .(Scientist(s) involved: Dr Sonika Sharma and Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt)