Sanjeev Kumar Sharma

Senior Research Scientist
Cell and Molecular Sciences
T: +44 1382 568741 (*)

Sanjeev Kumar Sharma is a member of the Potato Genetics and Breeding group at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee. He earned his Bachelor’s in Forestry and Master’s in Biotechnology from CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India and pursued his PhD at the University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom under a prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship award.

Biography

Sanjeev Kumar Sharma is a member of the Potato Genetics and Breeding group at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee. He earned his Bachelor’s in Forestry and Master’s in Biotechnology from CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India and pursued his PhD at the University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom under a prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship award.

Research

Sanjeev has over 25 years’ experience in crop basic and applied research covering potato developmental biology, molecular biology, transgenics, genetics, genomics, marker development, sequence-based genotyping, next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics. With longstanding experience in potato genetics and genomics, he was a member of the international consortium responsible for the development of the first potato genome sequence (PGSC, 2011), led the development of the first physical genetic map of potato (Sharma et al., 2013), has undertaken numerous genetic studies for key potato traits (Campbell et al., 2023; Gartner et al., 2024; Morris et al., 2019; Morris et al., 2014; Pasare et al., 2013; Sharma & Bryan, 2017; Sharma et al., 2018; Sharma et al., 2021; Sharma et al., 2024) and has extensive track record in developing modern genotyping tools for potato, e.g., whole-exome capture (Sharma et al., 2021), genotyping-by-sequencing (Sharma et al., 2024), and single-primer enrichment technology (Sharma et al., 2022). He is utilizing these novel technologies along with modern genetic analysis approaches (e.g., genome-wide association studies, sequence-based bulk-segregant analysis, genomic selection) for trait analyses and allele mining in potato targeting important agronomic, processing and disease resistance traits. Sanjeev is Co-I in UKRI funded PACE project on optimizing genetics by management interactions to enhance productivity and quality in indoor plant cultivation; Scottish Govt funded projects on Potato cyst nematode and identifying genetic elements underlying abiotic stress tolerance in potato. Overall, here his broader focus of research is to exploit genetic, genomic, and biotechnological approaches for furthering potato research and accelerate breeding efficiencies in potato.

Sanjeev has collaborated on several national and international projects related to potato and other crops; chaired and coordinated the project monitoring meetings of the international potato genome sequencing consortium; served as member of the Scientific Program Committee for the 18th International Solanaceae Genome Conference (SOL2023, Canada), Advisory Board Panel for Plant Genomics Congress Europe (2015-2016), editorial board for the journals ‘Genes’ and ‘Crop Breeding, Genetics and Genomics’; has acted as reviewer for British Council Newton Fund (2018-2022) applications; evaluator for KAPPA Programme grants 2020 TACR Czech Republic; performed peer reviewing for scientific journals; invited to several international conferences as invited speaker and to deliver platform talks; and co-organised India-Scotland Research Symposium at Hutton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past research

Sanjeev has developed a prototype for advanced and accelerated propagation system in potato using somatic embryo-derived synthetic seeds. Before relocating to the UK, he acquired considerable experience in commercial plant tissue culture notably managing technical operations in a large micropropagation facility (Sheel Biotech Ltd, Gurugram, India – established in collaboration with Cultiss, Holland B.V.) with an annual capacity of >5 million plants. He also established an R&D-cum-pilot scale plant tissue culture laboratory at Thapar Centre for Industrial Research, Patiala, India along with developing indigenous protocols for large-scale production of potato microtubers and upscaled it for generating over 0.5 million microtubers and 1.2 million minitubers per annum. There, he also worked on the selection and micropropagation of elite Eucalyptus trees for the pulp and paper industry including establishment of a clonal demonstration plantation using tissue culture raised Eucalypt saplings.

Employment history

  • 2015 – present: Senior Research Scientist/Senior Molecular Geneticist, James Hutton Institute, Dundee, UK
  • 2011 – 2015: Molecular Geneticist, James Hutton Institute, Dundee, UK
  • 2009 – 2011: Molecular Geneticist, SCRI, Dundee, UK
  • 2007 – 2009: Scientist E, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India
  • 2006 – 2007: Molecular Geneticist, SCRI, Dundee, UK
  • 2002 – 2006: Commonwealth Doctoral Scholar, University of Dundee, UK
  • 1995 – 2002: Research Scientist (2000-2002); Assistant Research Scientist (1999-2000); Senior Scientific Assistant (1995-1999); Thapar Centre for Industrial R&D, Patiala, India
  • 1994 – 1995: Senior Scientific Officer, M/s Sheel Biotech Ltd (Established in collaboration with Cultiss, Holland B.V.), Gurgaon, India
  • 1994 – 1994: Research Associate, Department of Genetics, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India

Publications

The following Publications have not yet been migrated to the James Hutton Institute's Pure service and relate to the research outputs from the two legacy organisations: The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and The Scottish Crop Research Institute.

Journals

Books / chapters

  • Millam, S.; Sharma, S.K. (2007) Soil-free techniques., In: Potato Biology and Biotechnology: Advances and Perspectives (eds. D. Vreugdenhil, J.E. Bradshaw, C. Gebhardt, F. Govers, D.K.L. MacKerron, M.A.Taylor, and H.A. Ross). Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp705-716.

Technical / contract reports

  • Sharma, S.K.; Millam, S.; Hedley, P.E.; Hein, I.; McNicol, J.W.; Bryan, G.J. (2008) Somatic embryogenesis in potato., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2007, pp18-19.
  • Millam, S.; Sharma, S.K.; Bryan, G.J.; Matti-Rokka, V.; Middlefell-Williams, J. (2004) Pathways of vegetative development via embryogenesis in Solanum tuberosum L., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2003/2004, pp124-125.

Conference papers

  • McLean, K.; Young, V.; Sharma, S.K.; Prashar, A.; Dale, M.F.B.; Bryan, G.J. (2011) Analysis of traits on a new diploid potato population., SOL & ICUGI, Japan, 28 November – 2 December 2011.
  • Sharma, S.K. (2010) Anchoring the potato genome, EAPR-EUCARPIA Congress Potato Breeding after completion of the DNA Sequence of the Potato Genome, 27-30 June 2010, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
  • Bolser, D.M.; Sharma, S.K.; de Boer, J.; Borm, T.; Bryan, G.J.; Martin, D.M.A. (2010) Anchoring the potato genome: In silico approaches., EAPR EUCARPIA Congress, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 28-30 June 2010, Potatoe Research, 53, 205.
  • Sharma, S.K. (2010) The Potato Genome Sequencing Initiative., 7th Solanaceae Conference 2010, Dundee, 5-9 September 2010, 143
  • de Boer, J.M.; Bolser, D.; Sharma, S.K.; Bryan, G.J.; Bachem, C.W.B.; Visser, R.G.F. (2010) In silico integration of genetic and physical and sequence maps in potato using BAC sequence tags., 7th Solanaceae Conference 2010, Dundee, 5-9 September 2010, 139
  • Sharma, S.K. (2009) The Potato Genome Sequencing Initiative., Sixth Solanaceae Genome Workshop (SOL 2009), New Delhi, India, 8-13 November 2009.
  • Bryan, G.J.; Lloyd, D.; Sharma, S.K.; Bradshaw, J.E. (2008) Genetic analysis of sensory and volatile traits in potato., 17th Triennial Conference of the European Association for Potato Research, Brasov, Romania, 6-10 July 2008.
  • Bryan, G.J.; Lloyd, D.; Sharma, S.K.; Hackett, C.A.; Nevison, L.; Taylor, M.A.; Bradshaw, J.E. (2008) Genetic analysis of flavour and texture in potato., 5th Solanaceae Genome Workshop 2008, Cologne, Germany, 12-16 October 2008.
  • Sharma, S.K.; Bryan, G.J.; Millam, S. (2005) Evaluating the potential of potato somatic embryogenesis system in expediting seed potato production., 16th Triennial Conference of the European Association for Potato Research, Bilbao, Spain, 17-22 July 2005.
  • Sharma, S.K.; Bryan, G.J.; Millam, S. (2004) The development of an efficient somatic embryogenesis system in potato., World Congress on In Vitro Biology, San Francisco, USA, 22-26 May 2004.
  • Sharma, S.K.; Gillespie, T.; Williamson, B.; Bryan, G.J.; Millam, S. (2003) Confirmation of potato somatic embryogenesis by microscopy., 31st Scottish Microscopy Group Symposium, Dundee, 12 November 2003.

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