Dr Krishna Sharma

Profile

Krishna is a Research Fellow based at the School of Chemistry where his research work focuses on the discovery of sustainable organic chemical reactions. He attended St Stephen’s College in Delhi for his undergraduate studies in Chemistry, where he earned a distinction, along with a memorial prize for “academic performance, extra-curricular activities, and selfless service”. He then moved to the University of Oxford UK to pursue his Masters by research in Organic Chemistry, where he was awarded a commendation by the University for his outstanding performance. During his Masters he developed a highly stereoselective method for the synthesis of functionalised Indolines via phase-transfer catalysis, and elucidated the mechanism of such phase-transfer catalysed transformations. Following his Masters, he was awarded scholarships by the University of Cambridge Trust and Trinity College to pursue PhD in Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. His PhD research work involved the development of effective molecules for inhibiting protein-protein interactions as an anti-cancer strategy.

Education

Scholarships and Awards

• Poster Award Gordon Research Conference in Green Chemistry 2022 for outstanding poster and flash talk presentation on postdoctoral research work involving the development of sustainable fluorination chemistry.
• American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable Travel Award 2022 to present postdoctoral research work at a special “Sustainability in Organic Chemistry” session at the 26th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference, Reston, Virginia, USA.
• First Prize for Research Poster Presentation at the SCI Challenges in Catalysis VII Conference 2022, Royal Society of Chemistry, London.
• STEM for BRITAIN Chemistry Finalist 2022 to give an insight of the outstanding research work being undertaken as an early-career researcher to the members of both Houses of the UK Parliament, House of Commons, UK.
• Royal Society of Chemistry early career scientist grant 2019 to participate and present research work at the 47^th IUPAC World Chemistry Congress.
• American Chemical Society Organic Division Travel Award 2018 to represent Department of Chemistry, Cambridge University at the 255^th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, USA.
• Trinity College Rouse-Ball and Eddington Research Fund Award 2018 to present PhD research work at the 255^th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, USA.
• Cambridge Philosophical Society Research Studentship Award 2018 to complete an exceptionally promising piece of research.
• Best Oral Presentation Prize 2018 at the international conference on Emerging Trends in Drugs Development and Natural-Products, India.
• Infosys 35 under 35 UK India Young Leader Award, 5^th UK-India Conclave 2018.
• Scholarships awarded in 2014 by Trinity College Cambridge, University of Cambridge Trust and the Jawaharlal Nehru Cambridge Trust to pursue doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge.
• MSc Thesis Commendation Award 2014, University of Oxford for producing an excellent thesis and receiving exceptional comments from the examiners.
• Commendation Award 2012, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford for the high standard of experimental work, written submission and viva voce at the first-year transfer interviews.
• American Chemical Society Organic Division Travel Award 2013 to represent Department of Chemistry, Oxford University at the 245^th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, USA.
• Young Scientist Award 2019, 6^th World Congress on Nanomedical Sciences/Chemistry-Biology Interface Synergistic New Frontiers, India.
• Tutor for Graduates Award 2013, St Peter’s College, University of Oxford.
• Prof. A. C. Jain Merit scholarship 2011, St. Stephen’s College for obtaining the highest marks.
• Mohan Katyal Memorial Prize 2011, St. Stephen’s College for academic performance, extra-curricular activities, and selfless service.

Publications

• Sharma, K.; et al. (2015), J. Am. Chem. Soc., 137 (41), 13414–13424.
• Sharma, K.; et al. (2018): CHAPTER 8, in Cyclic Peptides: From Bioorganic Synthesis to Applications, The Royal Society of Chemistry. p. 164-187.
• Sharma, K.; et al. (2019): Org. Biomol. Chem., 17, 8014-8018.
• Sharma, K.; et al. (2019): ACS Omega, 5 (2), 1157-1169.
• Knighton, R. C.; Sharma, K.; et al. (2019), ACS Omega, 4 (1), 2160-2167.
• Strizhak, A. V.; Sharma, K.; et al. (2018), Org. Biomol. Chem., 16, 8559-8564 (highlighted in Synfacts 2019).
• Boobier, S.; Liu, Y.; Sharma, K.; et al. (2021), J. Chem. Inf. Model, 2021.
• Strizhak, A. V.; Babii, O.; Afonin, S.; Bakanovich, L.; Pantelejevs, T.; Xu, W.; Fowler, E.; Eapen, R.; Sharma, K.; et al. (2020), Org. Biomol. Chem., 2020,18, 5359-5369.

Conference Papers/Posters

• Sharma, K.; Nguyen, B. N.; Blacker, J. B.; Kapur, N. K. (2022): “Enabling Nucleophilic Fluorination in Water”, Green Chemistry Gordon Research Seminar, Castelldefels, Spain. (Invited Speaker)
• Sharma, K.; Nguyen, B. N.; Blacker, J. B.; Kapur, N. K. (2022): “Enabling Nucleophilic Fluorination in Water”, ACS GCI Industrial Roundtable Event, 25th Annual GC&E Conference, Reston, Virginia. (Invited Poster)
• Sharma, K.; Nguyen, B. N.; Blacker, J. B.; Kapur, N. K. (2022): “Enabling Nucleophilic Fluorination in Water”, ACS GCI 25th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference, Reston, Virginia. (Oral)
• Sharma, K.; Nguyen, B. N.; Blacker, J. B.; Kapur, N. K. (2021): “Identifying On-water Reactions: Computational Methods and Experimental Investigations”, ACS GCI 25th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference, virtual. (Oral)
• Sharma, K.; Nguyen, B. N.; Blacker, J. B.; Kapur, N. K. (2021): “Computationally-driven Discovery of On-water Reactions”, 6th Green & Sustainable Chemistry Conference, virtual. (Poster)
• Sharma, K.; Spring, D. R. (2019): Strain-promoted Stapled Peptides for Inhibiting Protein-protein Interactions”, 47^th IUPAC World Chemistry Congress, Paris, France. (Oral)
• Sharma, K. (2019): “Efficient strained dialkynes for biocompatible double strain-promoted click chemistry”, 6^th World Congress on Nanomedical Sciences / Chemical-Biology Interface Synergistic New Frontiers, India. (Oral) 
• Sharma, K.; Spring, D. R. (2018): “Strain-promoted Double-click Functionalised Stapled Peptides for Inhibiting Protein-protein Interactions”, 255^th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, USA. (Oral)
• Sharma, K.; Spring, D. R. (2018): “Strain-promoted Double-click Functionalised Stapled Peptides for Inhibiting Protein-protein Interactions”, International conference on Emerging Trends in Drugs Development and Natural-Products, India. (Oral)
• Sharma K.; Spring, D. R. (2017): “Strain-promoted Double-click Stapled Peptides for Inhibiting Protein-protein Interactions”, Chemistry Showcase Symposia, University of Cambridge. (Oral)
• Sharma, K.; Smith, M. D. (2013): “Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of Functionalized Indolines via Chiral Counterion Catalysis”, 245^th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, USA. (Oral)
• Sharma, K.; Smith, M. D. (2013): “Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of Functionalized Indolines via Chiral Counterion Catalysis”, AstraZeneca D.Phil. Symposium, University of Oxford. (Oral)
• Sharma, K.; et al. (2017): “Strain-promoted double-click functionalised stapled peptides for inhibiting protein-protein interactions”, RSC-NOST Symposium on Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, Leeds, UK. (Poster)
• Sharma, K.; et al. (2017): “Strain-promoted Double-click Functionalised Stapled Peptides for Inhibiting Protein-protein Interactions”, RSC Chemical Biology Symposium. (Poster)
• Sharma, K.; et al. (2017): “Synthesis of Functionalised Strained Dialkyne Linkers for Metal-free Peptide Stapling”, RSC 25^th International Symposium: Synthesis in Organic Chemistry, Oxford. (Poster)
• Sharma, K.; Smith, M. D. (2013): “Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of Functionalized Indolines via Chiral Counterion Catalysis”, RSC 23^rd International Symposium: Synthesis in Organic Chemistry, Oxford. (Poster)
• Sharma, K.; Smith, M. D. (2012): “Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of Functionalized Indolines via Chiral Counterion Catalysis”, Pfizer Neusentis Symposium, University of Oxford. (Poster)

Thesis

• Sharma, K. (2019): “Strain-promoted Stapled Peptides for Inhibiting Protein-protein Interactions”, University of Cambridge. (Doctoral thesis) https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.35884
• Sharma, K. (2014): “Cation-controlled diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of indolines: an autocatalytic process”, University of Oxford. (Master’s by Research thesis) https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.627880

Professional memberships

• Associate Member, Royal Society of Chemistry
• Fellow, Cambridge Philosophical Society
• Member, Cambridge University Scientific Society