Akshika Sharma, PhD

Dr. Akshika Sharma is a substance use, addiction, and tobacco policy scientist. Her expertise encompasses use of diverse research designs such as experimental studies, clinical trials and surveys to asses harm reduction among cigarette smokers, implications of policy on use behaviors, health effects of emerging nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and oral nicotine pouches, and vaping cessation in both youth and adults. Trained as a Dentist, Dr. Sharma has a particular interest in investigating the oral health implications of novel nicotine products and identifying biomarkers associated with health and disease. Through her work, she addresses critical public health questions related to tobacco dependence, patterns of product use, and associated health impacts for generating evidence to inform regulatory and policy decisions. Her research has been published in prestigious peer reviewed journals. She received the Best Abstract Award in 2024 by Society of research on Nicotine and Tobacco and has presented her research at several national and international conferences.