Riti Sharan, Ph.D
About Riti Sharan, Ph.D
Riti Sharan, Ph.D, is a Staff Scientist I at Texas Biomedical Research Institute, focusing on the impact of HIV in reactivating latent tuberculosis infection. She has a strong background in tuberculosis immunology and has received multiple grants and awards for her research contributions.
Work at Texas Biomedical Research Institute
Riti Sharan, Ph.D., has been employed as Staff Scientist I at Texas Biomedical Research Institute since 2021. In this role, she focuses on research related to the impact of HIV in reactivating latent tuberculosis infection. Prior to her current position, she served as Postdoctoral Scientist IV at the same institute from 2019 to 2021. Her work involves utilizing nonhuman primate models to study tuberculosis immunology and Mtb/HIV co-infections.
Education and Expertise
Riti Sharan earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology from CQUniversity, Australia, from 2008 to 2010. She also holds an M.Sc. in Microbiology from Panjab University, obtained between 2005 and 2007. Her undergraduate education includes a B.Sc. in Microbiology, Zoology, and Biochemistry from Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women, completed from 2002 to 2005. Sharan specializes in tuberculosis immunology and has extensive expertise in high parameter flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and various molecular techniques.
Background
Before joining Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Riti Sharan worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Texas A&M Health Science Center from 2016 to 2019 and as a Post Doctoral Research Fellow at Institut Pasteur in France from 2012 to 2014. Her international experience spans across India, Australia, France, and the USA, where she has collaborated on multiple research projects in the field of respiratory infections and host-pathogen interactions.
Achievements
Riti Sharan received the NIH K01 Career Development award for the period 2021-2024, focusing on HIV's impact on latent tuberculosis infection. She secured the Texas D-CFAR Pilot Grant for 2021-2022 to advance research on therapeutic interventions in co-infected humans. Additionally, she was awarded the European Respiratory Society Long Term Fellowship Award in 2016, recognizing her contributions to respiratory research. Sharan has also received the SNPRC Pilot Grant for 2021-2022 to support research on SIV-mediated chronic immune activation.
Research Skills and Techniques
Riti Sharan possesses extensive experience in designing and conducting research on respiratory infections. She is proficient in conducting small animal studies within BSL-3 laboratory settings, utilizing techniques such as PCR, DNA and RNA extraction, qPCR, and cloning. Her skills in high parameter flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry are essential for her research in tuberculosis immunology and Mtb/HIV co-infections.