Mycology and Plant Pathology (Plant Microbes Interactions):
Presently my research is focus on bio-prospecting of endophytic microbes. Endophytic Microbes are well known to produce novel bioactive natural products like antimicrobial, anticancer, antimalarial, antioxidant, antiviral and immunosuppressive compounds and also source of exo-enzymes of great importance. Further we are looking to study plant-microbes interactions mechanism specially to understand the role of endophytic microbes at biochemical and molecular level in improving the fitness of plants against biotic and abiotic stresses. Our goal is to develop new and effective ways to protect plants from biotic and abiotic stresses and enhance the nutritional status of crop and medicinal plants through application of functional plant microbiomes.

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• 1. Visited Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA for the year 2016-2017 under Indo-US RAMAN Post Doctoral Fellowship

• Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering (GATE-2007, AIR-116)

• CSIR- NET-2007, CSIR-NET JRF-2008 (Qualified for SPM Interview Call)

• Council Member of Mycological Society of India (MSI), Chennai

• Orientation course: Completed from JNU, New Delhi with Grade �A�-2015

1. Three days Short Course for Quantitative Real Time PCR Theories and Instrument Operation presented by SEBS core facility, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA in collaboration with Thermo Fisher dated June 13-15, 2017.

2. Rutgers Microbiology Symposium, Organized by School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA on February 2 and 3, 2017. Presented a poster on Seed vectored endophytic microbes involved in modulation of development in rice seedlings.

3. Mycological society of America meeting -2017 on Translational Mycology: Putting Fungal Diversity to Work at Athens, Georgia, USA on July 16 to 19, 2017. Presented a poster on Fungal disease protection in rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings by growth promoting seed-associated endophytic bacteria from invasive Phragmites australis.

4. Visited Laboratory of Food Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences (Dr. Mary Ann Lila), Institute of Plants for Human Health, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Research Campus, 600 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC, USA on July 19-20, 2017.

5. Reviewer of many reputed journals including: Journal of Applied Microbiology, Journal of Basic Microbiology, Scientific Reports, Basic and Applied Ecology, Scientific Reports, Symbiosis, Microorganism

6. Life Member of Indian Phytopathological Society (IPS)

7. Life member of Association of Microbiologist of India (AMI)

8. Assistant Professor in Department of Botany, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, West Bengal (11.01.2013 to 12.10.2015)

List of 10 major publications publications:

• 1. Verma, S.K. and White, F. J. (2018) Indigenous endophytic seed bacteria promote seedling development and defend against fungal disease in browntop millet (Urochloa ramosa L.). Journal of Applied Microbiology, DOI: 10.1111/jam.13673 (IF=2.16)

• 2. Singh, D. K., Kumar, K., Sharma, V.K., Verma, S.K., Singh A., Kumari P., and Kharwar, R.N. (2017) Mycosynthesis of bactericidal silver and polymorphic gold nanoparticles: physicochemical variation effects and mechanism. doi: 10.2217/nnm-2017-0235 (IF- 4.727).

• 3. Verma, S.K., Kingsley, K., Bergen, M., English, C., Elmore, M., Kharwar, R.N. and White, J.F. (2018) Bacterial endophytes from rice cut grass (Leersia oryzoides L.) increase growth, promote root gravitropic response, stimulate root hair formation, and protect rice seedlings from disease. Plant and Soil, DOI 10.1007/s11104-017-3339-1 (IF=3.306)

• 4. Verma, S.K., Kingsley, K., Irizarry, I., Bergen, M., Kharwar, R.N. and White, J.F. (2017) Seed vectored endophytic bacteria modulate development of rice seedlings. Journal of Applied Microbiology, DOI: 10.1111/jam.13463. (IF=2.16).

• 5. Sharma, V.K., Kumar, J., Singh, D.K., Mishra, A., Verma, S.K., Gond, S.K., Kumar, A., Singh, N., and Kharwar, R.N. (2017) Induction of Cryptic and Bioactive Metabolites through Natural Dietary Components in an Endophytic Fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc. Frontiers in Microbiology, DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01126 (IF= 4.076)

• 6. Singh, D. K., Sharma, V. K., Kumar, J., Mishra, A., Verma, S.K., Sieber, T.N., Kharwar, R.N. (2017) Diversity of endophytic mycobiota of tropical tree Tectona grandis Linn.f.: Spatiotemporal and tissue type effects. Scientific reports, DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-03933-0 (IF= 4.259)

• 7. Verma, S. K., Gond, S. K., Mishra, A., Sharma, V.K., Kumar, J., Singh, D. K., Kumar K, Goutam J. and Kharwar, R.N. Impact of environmental variables on the isolation, diversity and antibacterial activity of endophytic fungal communities from Madhuca indica Gmel. at different locations in India. Annals of Microbiology 64:721�734, 2014. (IF= 1.407)

• 8. Gond, S. K., Mishra, A., Sharma, V. K., Verma, S. K. and Kharwar R. N. Isolation and characterization of antibacterial naphthalene derivative from Phoma herbarum, an endophytic fungus of Aegle marmelos. Current Science 105: 2. 2013. (IF= 0.967).

• 9. Mishra, A., Gond, S.K., Kumar, A., Sharma, V. K., Verma, S. K., Kharwar, R. N., Kumar, A. and Seiber, T .N. Season and tissue type affect fungal endophyte communities of the Indian medicinal plant Tinospora cordifolia more strongly than geographic location. Microbial Ecology 64(2): 388-98, 2012. (IF= 3.63).

• 10. Kharwar, R.N., Verma, S. K., Gond, S. K., Mishra, A., Sharma, V.K., Kumar, J., Singh, D. K., Afreen, T. and Kumar, A. Assessment of diversity, distribution and antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi isolated from a medicinal plant Adenocalymma alliaceum Miers. Symbiosis 55:39�46, 2011. (IF= 1.713).

A. Full List of Publications:

• 1. Mishra A, Gond S K, Sharma V K, Verma S K, Kumar J, Singh D K, Kumar A, Pandey P, Kharwar R N (2018) Characterization of Pseudofusicoccum adansoniae, an Endophytic Fungus Residing in Photosynthetic Root of Tinospora cordifolia, a Medicinal Plant. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-018-1046-1

• 2. White J F, Kingsley K L, Verma S K, and Kowalski K P (2018) Rhizophagy Cycle: An Oxidative Process in Plants for Nutrient Extraction from Symbiotic Microbes. Microorganisms, 6, 95; doi:10.3390/microorganisms6030095

• 3. Soren S., Kumar S., Mishra S., Jena P. K., Verma S. K., Parhi P. (2018) Evaluation of antibacterial and antioxidant potential of the zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized by aqueous and polyol method. Microbial Pathogenesis, 119 (2018) 145�151 (IF= 2.009)

• 4. Verma S.K.,, Kingsley K.L., Bergen M.S., Kowalski K.P., White F.F. (2018) Fungal disease protection in rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings by growth promoting seed-associated endophytic bacteria from invasive Phragmites australis. Microorganisms, 6, 21, doi:10.3390/ microorganisms6010021

• 5. Verma S. K., Gond S. K., Mishra A. , Sharma V. K., Kumar A., Kharwar R.N. (2018) Leaf Segment Size and Culture Media Influence the Recovery and Diversity of Fungal Endophytes Isolated from Madhuca Longifolia with their Enzymes Activity, Vegetos 31(1).

• 6. Verma, S.K. and White, F. J. (2018) Indigenous endophytic seed bacteria promote seedling development and defend against fungal disease in browntop millet (Urochloa ramosa L.). Journal of Applied Microbiology, DOI: 10.1111/jam.13673 (IF=2.16)

• 7. Singh, D. K., Kumar, K., Sharma, V.K., Verma, S.K., Singh A., Kumari P., and Kharwar, R.N. (2017) Mycosynthesis of bactericidal silver and polymorphic gold nanoparticles: physicochemical variation effects and mechanism. doi: 10.2217/nnm-2017-0235 (IF- 4.727).

• 8. Verma, S.K., Kingsley, K., Bergen, M., English, C., Elmore, M., Kharwar, R.N. and White, J.F. (2018) Bacterial endophytes from rice cut grass (Leersia oryzoides L.) increase growth, promote root gravitropic response, stimulate root hair formation, and protect rice seedlings from disease. Plant and Soil, DOI 10.1007/s11104-017-3339-1 (IF=3.36)

• 9. Sharma, V.K., Kumar, J., Singh, D.K., Mishra, A., Verma, S.K., Gond, S.K., Kumar, A., Singh, N., and Kharwar, R.N. (2017) Induction of Cryptic and Bioactive Metabolites through Natural Dietary Components in an Endophytic Fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc. Frontiers in Microbiology, DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01126 (IF= 4.076)

• 10. Singh, D. K., Sharma, V. K., Kumar, J., Mishra, A., Verma, S.K., Sieber, T.N., Kharwar, R.N. (2017) Diversity of endophytic mycobiota of tropical tree Tectona grandis Linn.f.: Spatiotemporal and tissue type effects. Scientific reports, DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-03933-0 (IF= 4.259)

• 11. Verma, S.K., Kingsley, K., Irizarry, I., Bergen, M., Kharwar, R.N. and White, J.F. (2017) Seed vectored endophytic bacteria modulate development of rice seedlings. Journal of Applied Microbiology, DOI: 10.1111/jam.13463. (IF=2.16).

• 12. Verma, S. K., Gond, S. K., Mishra, A., Sharma, V.K., Kumar, J., Singh, D. K. and Kharawar, R. N. Biofabrication of antibacterial and antioxidant silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by an endophytic fungus Pestalotia sp. isolated from Madhuca longifolia. Journal of Nanomaterial and Molecular Nanotechnology 5:4, 2016. (IF=1.06).

• 13. Anuj Kumar, Surendra K Gond, Ashish Mishra, Vijay K Sharma, Satish K Verma, Dheeraj K Singh, Jitendra Kumar and Ravindra N Kharwar (2015) Salicylic Acid and its Role in Systemic Resistance Induced by Pseudomonas fluorescens to Early Blight Disease of Tomato. Vegetos 28 (3) : 12-19 (Impact factor 0.042)

• 14. J. Goutam, V. K. Sharma, S. K. Verma, D. K. Singh, J. Kumar, A. Mishra, A. Kumar, R.N. Kharwar (2014) Optimization of Culture Conditions for Enhanced Production of Bioactive Metabolites Rich in Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities Isolated from Emericella quadrilineata an Endophyte of Pteris pellucid. J. Pure Appl. Microbio. , 8(3), 2059-2073. (Impact Factor- 0.073)

• 4. Satish K. Verma, S. K. Gond, A. Mishra, V. K. Sharma, J. Kumar, D. K. Singh, A. Kumar, J. Goutam & R. N. Kharwar (2013) Impact of environmental variables on the isolation, diversity and antibacterial activity of endophytic fungal communities from Madhuca indica Gmel. at different locations in India. Annals of Microbiology 64:721�734. (Impact Factor- 0.99)

• 5. Ambika Srivastava, Pooja Singh, Rajesh Kumar, Satish K Verma and Ravindra N Kharwar (2013) Indole-based polymer and its silver nanocomposite as advanced antibacterial agents: synthetic path, kinetics of polymerization and applications. Polymer international DOI 10.1002/pi.4283. (Impact factor 2.405)

• 6. Anuj Kumar, S K Gond, A Mishra, V K Sharma, Satish K Verma and, R N Kharwar (2013) Role of Different Variables on Site-Specific Isolation And Distribution Patterns of Soil Mycoflora from Varanasi. Vegetos 26 (1) : 88-95.(Impact factor 0.042)

• 7. Surendra K. Gond, Ashish Mishra Vijay K. Sharma, Satish K. Verma, Ravindra N. Kharwar (2013) Isolation and characterization of antibacterial naphthalene derivative from Phoma herbarum, an endophytic fungus of Aegle marmelos. Current Science, 105, No. 2.(Impact factor 0.935)

• 8. Ashish Mishra, Surendra K. Gond, Kumar A, Vijay K. Sharma, Satish K. Verma and Ravindra N. Kharwar, Anuj Kumar and T. N. Seiber (2012) Season and tissue type affect fungal endophyte communities of the Indian medicinal plant Tinospora cordifolia more strongly than geographic location. Microbial Ecology 64(2), 388-98. (Impact factor 2.97)

• 9. Ravindra N. Kharwar, Satish K. Verma, Ashish Mishra, Surendra K. Gond, Vijay K. Sharma, Talat Afreen and Anuj Kumar (2011) Assessment of diversity, distribution and antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi isolated from a medicinal plant Adenocalymma alliaceum Miers. Symbiosis 55:39�46. (Impact factor 1.438)

• 10. Satish K. Verma, Manoj K. Rai, Pooja Asthana V.S. Jaiswal, U Jaiswal (2010) In vitro plantlets from encapsulated shoot tips of Solanum nigrum L. Scientia Horticulturae 124: 517�521. (Impact factor 1.365)

• 11. Surendra K. Gond, Ashish Mishra, Vijay K. Sharma, Satish K. Verma, Jitendra Kumar, Ravindra N. Kharwar and Anuj Kumar (2011) Diversity and antimicrobial activity of endophytic fungi isolated from Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, a well- known medicinal plant of India. Mycoscience 53(2), 113-121 (Impact factor 1.16)  

A. Book Chapters:

• A Mishra , SK Gond , A Kumar , VK Sharma , Satish K. Verma, RN Kharwar and A Kumar (2011) Sourcing the fungal endophyte: A beneficial transaction of biodiversity, bioactive natural products, plant protection and nanobiotechnology. T. Satyanarayana et al. (eds.), Microorganism in sustainable agriculture and biotechnology. Springer science: DOI 10.1007/ 978-94-007-2214-9_26.

• 2. R. N. Kharwar, A. Mishra, V. K. Sharma, S. K. Gond, Satish K. Verma, A. Kumar, J. Kumar, D. K. Singh and J. Goutam (2014). Diversity and Biopotential of Endophytic Fungal Flora Isolated from Eight Medicinal Plants of Uttar Pradesh, India. R. N. Kharwar et al. (eds) Microbial Diversity and Biotechnology in Food Security.DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1801-2_3, Springer India.

• 3.Verma S.K., Gond S.K., Sharma V.K., Kumar J., Singh D.K., Kumar A. and Kharwar R.N. (2017) Fungal Endophytes Representing Diverse Habitats and Their Role in Plant Protection. In: Satyanarayana T., Deshmukh S., Johri B. (eds) Developments in Fungal Biology and Applied Mycology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4768-8_9

• 4. Sharma V. K., Kumar J., Singh D. K., Mishra A., Gond S. K., Verma S. K., A. Kumar, G. Singh, R. N. Kharwar (2017) Induction of Cryptic Metabolite Production Through Epigenetic Tailoring in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Isolated from Syzygium cumini. In: J. L. Azevedo and M. C. Quecine (eds) Diversity and Benefits of Microorganisms from the Tropics. Springer International Publishing, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-55804-2.

• 5. White J F Jr., Torres M S, Verma S K, Elmore M T, Kowalski KP and Kingsley K L (2018) Evidence for Widespread Microbivory of Endophytic Bacteria in Roots of Vascular Plants Through Oxidative Degradation in Root Cell Periplasmic Spaces. In: Singh AK, Kumar A, and Singh P K (eds.) PGPR Amelioration in Sustainable Agriculture Food Security and Environmental Management. Woodhead Publishing