Academic Experts
Academic Experts
Dr. Anirudh Sharma
Assistant Professor (Senior Grade)
anirudh.sharma@jiit.ac.in
Biography

Dr. Anirudh Sharma has been working in the Department of Biotechnology at Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida, since July 2023. Before joining JIIT, he worked as an Assistant Professor at the University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, from January 2019 to June 2023.

 He earned his Ph.D. in Biotechnology from the Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology in 2018, having qualified for the CSIR-SRF in 2014 and received the CSIR fellowship during his doctoral research. He completed his master’s degree in biotechnology from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, in 2010. 
Earlier in his career, he worked as a Junior Research Fellow under a DAE-BRNS sponsored project from August 2011 to September 2014, which involved research collaborations with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, where he periodically conducted experimental work as part of the project deliverables. Additionally, he served as a Project Fellow at the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), DRDO, from July 2010 to July 2011. 

His core research interests lie in the development of sustainable bioprocesses for biofuel production using waste-derived feedstocks. His work focuses on biocatalysis, microbial valorization of lignocellulosic biomass, and photocatalytic degradation of dyes in wastewater. 

He is passionate about advancing green technologies that address energy and environmental challenges through interdisciplinary approaches combining microbiology, catalysis, and bioprocess engineering.
 

Educational Qualifications

PhD in Biotechnology – Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, 2018 Qualified CSIR-SRF in 2014 and received CSIR fellowship. Master’s in Biotechnology – Choudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, 2010 Bachelor’s degree – (Not explicitly mentioned in your text; likely in Biotechnology or related field, can be added if known)

Research Highlights

Dr. Anirudh Sharma's research integrates microbial biocatalysis and waste valorization for sustainable energy and environmental solutions. A key focus is on the fungus whole-cell mediated generation of biodiesel from acid oils, utilizing fungal biomass as a biocatalyst. Acid oils, being industrial waste byproducts, offer a cost-effective alternative to conventional feedstocks. 

The use of fungal whole cells eliminates the need for enzyme purification and enhances reaction efficiency, making the process economically viable for large-scale biodiesel production. Another significant aspect of his work involves the fungus-mediated synthesis of biogenic metallic photocatalysts, particularly palladium nanoparticles, for the degradation of toxic dyes in wastewater.

Employing a cell-free fungal extract approach, the synthesized nanoparticles exhibit high stability and catalytic efficiency. These biogenic catalysts demonstrated excellent photocatalytic degradation of azo dyes and maintaining reusability over multiple cycles, highlighting their potential for textile wastewater remediation. In addition, his research explores microbial mediated valorization of lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production. 

Through optimized pretreatment and fermentation strategies, microbial systems efficiently hydrolyze complex plant biomass into fermentable sugars, followed by their conversion into bioethanol. This approach offers a sustainable pathway for utilizing agricultural residues and other non-food biomass resources. Collectively, his research offers innovative and eco-efficient strategies for producing clean energy and remediating pollutants using microbes, contributing toward sustainable industrial development and environmental protection.
 

Areas Of Interest
  • Biofuels
  • Bioenergy
  • Bioremediation
  • Biocatalysis
Publications
  • S. Gupta, A. Sharma, A. Sharma, J. Singh. Fungus mediated synthesis of biogenic palladium catalyst for degradation of azo dye. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 40, 1-10, 2024.
  • A. Choudhary, A. Sharma, A. Singh, S. S. Han, A. Sood. Strategy and advancement in hybrid hydrogel and their applications: Adv. Eng. Mater. 26, 1-23, 2024. 
    A. Singh, J. J. Sharma, B. Mohanta, A. Sood, S. S. Han, A. Sharma. Synthetic and biopolymers-based hydrogels: A focused review. J. Biomatter. Sci. Polym. Ed. 35, 675-716, 2024.
  • A. Sharma, J. S. Melo, R. Prakash, N. Tejo Prakash. Biomass suspension catalyzed generation of various alkyl esters from acid oil and virgin oil. Biocatal. Biotransformation. 42, 34-40, 2024.
  • A. Sharma, J. S. Melo, R. Prakash, N. Tejo Prakash. Lab-scale production of biodiesel from soybean acid oil using immobilized whole cells as catalyst. Biocatal. Biotransformation.  39, 443-454, 2021.