Monika Sharma, PhD

Dr. Sharma was recruited to the Adams Center from Harvard in 2024. She is Instructor and Faculty at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Sharma earned a master’s degree in biotechnology with an additional research training from the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in India. She pursued doctoral studies at the University of Alberta, Canada, under the mentorship of Prof. Patrick Flood.

Dr. Sharma’s doctoral research centered on elucidating the role of beta2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) activation in modulating microglial response during neuro-inflammatory conditions in Parkinson’s disease. Her findings showed the underlying mechanism by which β2-AR agonists regulate microglia activation and neuroinflammation (Sharma et al, 2018). She also identified the specific pathways involved in the anti-inflammatory conversion of activated microglia by β2-AR agonists (Sharma et al, 2019).

At Harvard Medical School, Dr. Sharma evaluated the role of β2-AR activation in Parkinson’s disease. In 2024 she joined the Adams Center at Yale. Her research investigates the role of beta2- adrenoreceptor agonists in regulating mitochondrial function and synucleinopathy.

Dr. Sharma’s significant contributions have been recognized through prestigious fellowships from the Parkinson’s Association of Alberta, Canada, and the American Parkinson’s Disease Association (APDA).