Biography

Dr. Sudha Sharma is Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Interim Director of the National Human Genome Center at Howard University College of Medicine. Her research focuses on understanding how cells maintain genomic stability and how defects in DNA repair pathways contribute to cancer, aging, and other human diseases. An NIH- and NSF-funded investigator, Dr. Sharma is recognized for her work on DNA helicases and other genome maintenance proteins that safeguard the integrity of the genome.

Dr. Sharma's laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms by which mammalian cells respond to DNA damage and replication stress, with a particular emphasis on DNA repair and genome stability pathways. Her research seeks to understand how dysfunction of these pathways contributes to cancer susceptibility and age-related disease, and how insights into these mechanisms may inform future approaches to disease prevention and treatment.

As Interim Director of the National Human Genome Center, Dr. Sharma provides leadership for initiatives that advance genomics research and foster interdisciplinary collaboration. She is committed to strengthening research excellence and expanding opportunities for scientific discovery and innovation at Howard University.

Prior to joining Howard University in 2011, Dr. Sharma held a faculty appointment at the City University of New York. She earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Banaras Hindu University and completed postdoctoral training at the National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Brosh. She also conducted research at Harvard Medical School in the laboratory of Dr. Bruce Yankner. Dr. Sharma received tenure at Howard University in 2014 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2019.

An active contributor to the scientific community, Dr. Sharma serves on review panels for national and international funding agencies and on editorial boards of scientific journals. She teaches medical and graduate students and has devoted her career to mentoring the next generation of scientists, including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, undergraduate researchers, and aspiring young scientists. Through her research, teaching, and service, she is committed to fostering scientific excellence and preparing future leaders in biomedical research.