J&K scholar on a special quest

Being enlisted as one of the leading health professionals of the world (2014) by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, UK, for contribution to medical genetics is no mean feat, especially in this day of rising ailments, sometimes with inexplicable causes. Jammu and Kashmir resident Dr. Swarkar Sharma wears this badge of honour with an understandable pride, having been working on the genetics and biology of rare disorders and complex human diseases, along with evolution and phylogeny of the human population with special emphasis on the population of Jammu and Kashmir. Dr. Sharma believes that it is a much-needed quest that might help in deciphering the unique genetic structure of the population of the region, providing an opportunity to identify health-related disorders and find appropriate management and treatment.

Hailing from Poonch district, Dr. Sharma did his schooling from Jawahar Navodaya Vidhyalaya Surankote in Poonch before pursuing B.Sc. Zoology (Hons.) from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, and a Master’s and PhD from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. He completed postdoctoral research from Texas Scottish Rite Hospital and UT Southwestern Medical Centre, Dallas, Texas, USA. Presently, he is the coordinator, Human Genetics Research Group, Department of Biotechnology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra.

With a research experience of more than 14 years, Dr. Sharma has authored more than 32 papers that were published in reputed journals such as Nature Genetics, Nature Communications, and the American Journal of Human Genetics, among others. A recipient of prestigious awards including the Russel A. Hibbs Basic Science Award (2012), awarded by the Scoliosis Research Society, USA; and the John S. Appelton Spine Research Award (2009), given by the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, Dallas, USA, the scientist was a part of an international team that discovered a gene responsible for a rare genetic disorder named, Osteofibrous Dysplasia.