My Journey | Work, Life & Balance
My Journey | Work, Life & Balance
A journey shaped by the work I love, the people I grow with, and the moments that keep me moving.
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Academics | Loving the ongoing journey (Work)
Academics | Loving the ongoing journey (Work)
Career Destinations- Muzaffarnagar 🇮🇳 - Delhi 🇮🇳 - Chandigarh 🇮🇳 - Davis 🇺🇸 - Bengaluru 🇮🇳 - Hyderabad 🇮🇳
Career Destinations- Muzaffarnagar 🇮🇳 - Delhi 🇮🇳 - Chandigarh 🇮🇳 - Davis 🇺🇸 - Bengaluru 🇮🇳 - Hyderabad 🇮🇳
Gaurav Sharma, Ph.D.
Gaurav Sharma, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor [Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Telangana, India]
DST-INSPIRE Faculty [Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bengaluru]
Postdoctoral Scholar [University of California, Davis]
Ph.D. [CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India]
M.Sc. (Biotechnology) [Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India]
Email: sharmag@bt.iith.ac.in, gaurav.amit30@gmail.com
Visit me here:
Strava (Running)
I am working as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Sangareddy, Telangana, India. Earlier I worked as a DST-INSPIRE Faculty Scientist at the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bengaluru, Karnataka, from Aug 2019 to Sep 2022. My research focuses on the microbiome, microbial genomics, and evolution. I am always enthusiastic about scientific discussions and possible collaborations; feel free to email me.
Earlier from Oct 2016 to July 2019, I worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of California, Davis in the lab of Prof. Mitchell Singer in the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics at the College of Biological Sciences. Majorly I tried to understand the evolutionary origin of Type IV pili system, aerotaxis chemosensory systems, gliding motility, and polysaccharide secretion systems in myxobacteria using high throughput genomic approaches. Simultaneously, I also pursued transcriptomic studies to understand the Myxococcus xanthus developmental cycle regulation and identify the differences between vegetative and peripheral rods in myxobacteria.
I carried out my Ph.D. (Microbial Genomics) research at the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) institute, Chandigarh, India under the guidance of Dr. Srikrishna Subramanian. My research work was focused on Understanding genome complexity and bacterial social networking among myxobacteria. I was a CSIR Junior Research Fellow (2011-13) and CSIR Senior Research Fellow (2013-16) during my Ph.D.
Before joining my Ph.D., I completed my Masters in Science (Biotechnology) from the School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. During these two years, I received the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) fellowship. I carried out my Master's project supervised by Dr. Swati Tiwari, Assistant Professor in the School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
Earlier, I received B.Sc. [Life science] degree from DAV Degree College, Muzaffarnagar, UP, affiliated with Chaudhary Charan Singh University [formerly Meerut University], Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
My previous Affiliations
My previous Affiliations
Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bengaluru, Karnataka
DAV Degree College, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India (Chaudhary Charan Singh University, India)
Academic Honours and Achievements
Academic Honours and Achievements
July 2026 Visiting Researcher, India-Japan LOTUS Programme, Hokkaido University
Dec 2024 Mentor, Sakura Science Exchange Program to Hokkaido, Japan
Aug 2023 Inducted as an Associate of the Indian Academy of Science (IASc), Bangalore
Sep 2022 AMI Young Scientist Award (Environmental Microbiology) by the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI)
Dec 2021 Bioclues Innovation, Research and Development (BIRD-2021) award from BIOinformatics CLUb for Experimenting Scientists (BIOCLUES) Society
Feb 2021 AMI Best ‘Faculty Oral Presentation’ Award in Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI)-INSCR 2021
July 2019 EMBO Travel Award to attend EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization) Practical Course in Italy
July 2019 UC Davis Postdoctoral Scholar Association Travel Award to attend EMBO Practical Course in Italy
2019-24 DST-INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship (11.24 million INR Funding from Department of Science & Technology)
Mar 2018 ASM Postdoctoral Travel Award to attend ASM-Microbe 2018 in Atlanta on June 7-11, 2018
Nov 2017 Science Communication Fellowship, awarded by UC Davis FUTURE & Powerhouse Center, Sacramento, CA
Feb 2016 Travel Bursary from Immunology Foundation, New Delhi
Jan 2016 DBT International Travel Fellowship to attend Gordon Research Conference (STIM 2016), California, USA
Dec 2015 Travel Bursary from INSA-Centre for International Cooperation in Science (CICS), Chennai
2013-16 Senior Research fellowship from Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), India
2011-13 Junior Research fellowship from Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), India
2009-11 Department of Biotechnology (DBT) scholarship during Masters
Administrative activities
Administrative activities
2023-Present: Departmental Representative of the 1st Library Advisory Committee (LAC), IIT Hyderabad, India
2022-Present: Faculty Placement Coordinator, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Hyderabad, India
2021-2022: Hostel Warden, Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
2019-2022: Placement Officer, Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
2016-2019: Career Development Chair, UC Davis Postdoctoral Scholar Association
2016-2017: Alternate Elections Committee Chair, University of California Postdoctoral Union UAW 5810
2017-2019: Elections Committee Chair, University of California Postdoctoral Union UAW Local 5810
Scientific Services
Scientific Services
Editorial Board member
Editor at Microbiology Spectrum, an American Society for Microbiology Publication (2021-Present; Second Term from 2024-2027)
Editor at Environmental Microbiome, a Springer Nature Journal (2026-Present)
Academic Editor at PLOS Computational Biology (2025-Present)
Editorial Board member of Scientific Reports (2025-Present)
Associate Editor at Genomics, an Elsevier Publication (2019-Present)
Reviewer for funding agencies
Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India
Department of BioTechnology (DBT), Government of India
Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)
Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN), Ministry of Education, Government of India
Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong
Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), French National Research Agency
Reviewer (a few mentioned below):
Nature Microbiology
Cell Genomics
Journal of Bacteriology
Frontiers Research Topic Editor for ‘Frontiers in Genetics’ (IF: 3.3) and ‘Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution’ (IF: 2.4)
Frontiers Review editor: Evolutionary and Population Genetics, part of the journal(s) Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Genetics and Plant Science.
Performance Reviewer: “Excellence in Postdoctoral Research Award-2018” provided by UC Davis Postdoctoral Scholar Association (UCD-PSA)
Abstract Judge: 2018 Postdoctoral Research Symposium (PRS-2018) organized by UC Davis Postdoctoral Scholar Association (UCD-PSA)
Juror: Undergraduate Biological and Agricultural Sciences section during California State University Student Research Competition held on May 4-5, 2018
Family | Learning and Growing Together (Life)
Family | Learning and Growing Together (Life)
The people who remind me that achievements are meaningful only when they are shared with your loved ones.
'Together with your family' is a beautiful place to be.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 2024
Otaru canal, Hokkaido, Japan, 2026
Diwali, 2025
Me | Miles and Moments (Balance)
Me | Miles and Moments (Balance)
Balance, for me, is not about giving equal time to everything. It is about making space for the people, experiences, and activities that restore curiosity, provide perspective, and make the journey meaningful.
Personally, I find peace and balance while running. Running teaches lessons that extend far beyond the road: consistency matters more than intensity, progress is rarely linear, and difficult journeys become achievable when taken one step at a time.
Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026
Running in Paris, 2025
Running in Sapporo, Japan, 2026
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