1. Doctorate in Biotechnology
DR. SHIKHA VERMA Marital Status: Married
Gender: Female e-mail ID: shikhav.biotech@gmail.com
DOB: 01.10.1982 Contact Number: +91- 9999061109
JOB OBJECTIVE
Seeking progressive and innovative assignments in Research & Development (Product Development / Technology
Development) with an FMCG organization that will utilize my current skills with opportunities for growth of self
and food industry.
PROFILE SUMMARY
Working with PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd. as R&D Assistant Scientist- New Technology Development and
Value Innovations since February 2014.
CORE COMPETENCIES
 Product Development (Innovation, Brand refresh & Category reframe and Reformulation for Juice & Juice
Drink)
 Project Management (Stage Gate process- idea refinement, initial feasibility, development, scale up, launch &
learn, Project Brief-Debrief, Timelines as per Gantt, SQA process & Costing)
 Research and Development (New Product & Technology Development and Breakthrough Innovation, Cost
Optimization and Productivity Enhancement, Quality Assurance and Regulatory Compliance.)
 Customer driven project working proposal.
ORGANIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Since Feb’14 PepsiCo India holdings Pvt. Ltd (Research & Development)
Role
 Driving new technology and innovation platform by creating differentiated product concepts, developing and
formulating new product, designing innovative process to deliver consistent product quality.
 Driving commercialization for new products from trial phase till launch.
 Ensuring quality and regulatory compliance for new products.
 Leading productivity/cost optimization projects through entire RTD and 100% Juice Portfolio.
 Develop differentiated and margin accretive products in Indian category to support business in growing
volume and value in the category under Brand Tropicana.

2.  Coordinate with internal R&D team members from GQFS, packaging, consumer research and SRA and
external team members from purchase, planning, marketing and operations to deliver on assigned AOP and
productivity projects meeting agreed benchmarks and timelines.
 Carry out shelf life and recommend suitable packaging propositions for the NPD.
 Scale up the product and flawlessly execute commercialization of NPDs delivering plant material efficiency.
 Understanding of Consumer research protocols and guide team on carrying out researches to deliver products
to meet consumer research benchmarks.
 Creation of Raw material specifications, Technology transfer document, HACCP transfer document, PD-SRA
to drive Nutritional and ingredient panel etc.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
 Worked as a SRF (Senior Research Fellow) under AMAAS- sub project entitled “Developing PGPR
consortia for enhanced crop and soil productivity of rice-wheat cropping system” in Division of
Microbiology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, from June 2012 to January 2014.
 The Ph.D. thesis entitled “Isolation and Characterization of Lipase producing bacterial strains from oil-
contaminated soils” under the guidance of Prof. Jyoti Saxena.
Summary: The core objectives of my PhD research program were to isolate potent lipolytic stains from
different oil contaminated sites and characterize promising strains and identify lipase (s) having wide optima
for pH and temperature, resistance to organic solvents, surfactants, inhibitors and detergents for wide range
of novel biotechnological applications. The most significant research contributions were:
 Isolation of very promising lipolytic strains with multiple plant growth promoting/biocontrol traits
(Pseudomonas aeruginosa SL-72 was found to be novel meso-alkaliphilic and moderate halophilic
strain with utility in agriculture)
 Evaluation of promising strains for their lipase activity (highest value of 5076.18 IU/mL) and their
biochemical and molecular characterization
 Co-culture of P. aeruginosa SL-72 and Acinetobacter sp. SL-3 found promising in the area of
wastewater management
 Optimization of conditions for maximizing lipase production using statistical tools guided tools,
followed by its upscaling in fermenter
 P. aeruginosa SL-72 and its enzyme (lipase) have great potential to be used in detergent formulations,
food flavouring, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and leather processing
 The research work led to three peer reviewed publications besides leading to a germplasm of promising
isolates for industrial scale up and bioremediation

3.  Worked as a SRF (Senior Research Fellow) under AMAAS project entitled “HAM for bio-fertilization in
horticultural crops” in Division of Fruits and Horticultural Technology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute,
New Delhi, form March-July 2011.
 Six months Master degree research project entitled “National Staphylococcus aureus Phage typing” &
“Tests for HIV infections” from Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi.
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION
 Ph.D. (Biotechnology) from Banasthali University, in 2012.
 M.Sc. (Microbiology) from C. S. J. M. Kanpur University Campus, Kanpur, 2005.
 B.Sc. from Maharana Pratap P. G. College, Hardoi under C.S.J.M University, Kanpur 2003.
 Senior Secondary from Board of High School & Intermediate Education, U.P. in 2000.
 Higher Secondary from Board of High School & Intermediate Education, U.P. in 1998.
WORKSHOP & TRAINING
 Participated in the training Programme on “Sensory Analysis of Foods: Basics, Concepts and
Measurements” held at Central Food Technological Research Institue, Mysore during 07-11th
December,
2015.
 Attended the 2nd
One day International Symposium on “Lignocellulose Biotechnology” organized by
Lignocellulose Biotechnology Consortium, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India on
December 12th
, 2012.
 Attended the “Northern Regional Science Congress” organized by Indian Science Congress Association
and Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, New Delhi, during 26-27th
November, 2012.
 Attended a workshop on “Commercialization of Biotechnology” organized by Department of
Biotechnology, Govt. of India and Biotech Consortium India Limited, New Delhi, on March 12th
, 2012.
 Attended the CME course on ‘Basic Immunology’ held in Department of Immunology, Sanjay Gandhi
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India on November 22nd
, 2003.
SEMINARS & CONFERENCES
 Verma, S., Adak, A., Prasanna, R., Dhar, S., Choudhary, H., Nain, L. and Shivay, Y.S. (2013). Plant-
microbe interactions mediated enhancement of nutrient uptake and plant growth in pea varieties. In: 54th
Annual International Conference of Association of Microbiologists of India at Maharshi Dayanand
University, Rohtak, India, November 17-20, 2011 (Poster Presentation).

4.  Prasanna, R., Kumari, S., Bidyarani, N., Babu, S., Verma, S. and Nain, L. (2013). Monitoring the shelf life
and quality of newly developed microbial formulations using metabolic indices. In: 54th
Annual
International Conference of Association of Microbiologists of India at Maharshi Dayanand University,
Rohtak, India, November 17-20, 2011 (Poster Presentation).
 Verma, S., Nain, L., Saxena, J. and Sharma, V. (2011). Bioremediation of crude-oil contaminated
wastewater, using mixed consortium of biosurfactant and lipase producing strains. In: 52th
Annual
International Conference of Association of Microbiologists of India at Punjab University, Chandigarh,
India, November 3-6, 2011 (Poster Presentation).
 Verma, S., Nain, L., Saxena, J. and Sharma, V. (2010). Multifarious biological activities and functional
diversity of a lipolytic bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa SL-72. In: 110th
General meeting of American
Society of Microbiology, San Diego, California, May 23-27, 2010 (Poster Presentation).
 Verma, S., Nain, L., Saxena, J. and Sharma, V. (2009). Bioprospecting of multifarious activities of
lipolytic strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa SL-72. In: 50th
Annual International Conference of Association
of Microbiologists of India at National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India, December 15-18, 2009 (Poster
Presentation).
 Verma, S., Nain, L., Saxena, J. and Sharma, V. (2008). Functional Diversity and Molecular
Characterisation of Lipase Producing Microorganisms Isolated from Oil-contaminated Soil. In: 49th
Annual
International Conference of Association of Microbiologists of India on “Microbial Biotechnology:
Diversity, Genomics and Metagenomics” at University of Delhi, New Delhi, India, November 18-21, 2008
(Poster Presentation).
 Verma, S., Nain, L., Saxena, J. and Sharma, V. (2008). Biochemical diversity of lipase producing bacterial
isolates from oil contaminated soil. In: International Conference on Molecular Biology and Biotechnology,
at Banasthali University, Banasthali Vidyapith (Rajasthan), India, October 19-21, 2008 (Poster
Presentation).
PAPER PUBLICATIONS
 Verma, S., Adak, A., Prasanna, R., Dhar, S., Choudhary, H., Nain, L., Shivay, Y.S. (2016). Microbial
priming of Pea cultivars elicits improved plant growth promotion and nutrient uptake. Israel Journal of Plant
Sciences (communicated).
 Adak A., Prasanna, R., Babu, S., Bidyarani, N., Verma, S., Pal, M., Shivay, Y. S., Nain L. (2016):
Micronutrient enrichment mediated by Plant-Microbe interactions and rice cultivation practices. Journal of
Plant Nutrition doi: 10.1080/01904167.2016.1148723

5.  Verma, S., Sharma, A., Kumar, R., Kaur, C., Arora, A., Shah, R., Nain, L. (2015). Improvement of
antioxidant and defense properties of Tomato (var. Pusa Rohini) by application of bioaugmented compost.
Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences 22: 256–264.
 Rana, A., Kabi, S.R., Verma, S., Anurup, A., Sirohi, M.P., Shivay, Y.S., Prasanna, R., Nain, L. (2015).
Prospecting plant growth promoting bacteria and cyanobacteria as options for enrichment of macro and
micronutrients in grains in rice–wheat cropping Sequence Cogent Food & Agriculture (2015), 1: 1037379.
 Prasanna, R., Adak, A., Verma, S., Bidyarani, N., Babu, S., Pal, M., Shivay, Y.S., Nain, L. (2015).
Cyanobacterial inoculation in rice grown under flooded and SRI modes of cultivation elicits differential
effects on plant growth and nutrient dynamics. Ecological Engineering 84: 532–541.
 Prasanna, R., Hossain, F., Babu, S., Bidyarani, N., Adak, A., Verma, S., Shivay, Y. S., Nain, L. (2015):
Prospecting cyanobacterial formulations as plant-growth-promoting agents for maize hybrids. South African
Journal of Plant and Soil, doi: 10.1080/02571862.2015.1025444
 Verma, S., Saxena, J., Sharma, V., Prasanna R. and Nain, L. (2012). Deciphering the metabolic capabilities
of a lipase producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa SL-72 strain. Folia Microbiologica 57(6): 525-531.
 Verma, S., Saxena, J., Sharma, V., Prasanna R. and Nain, L. (2012). Medium optimization for a novel
crude-oil degrading lipase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa SL-72 using statistical approaches for
bioremediation of crude oil. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 1(4): 321-329.
 Verma, S., Nain, L., Saxena, J. and Sharma, V. (2011). Screening of Plant-growth promoting traits and
biocontrol potential of a lipolyitc strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa SL-72. Annals of Plant Protection
Sciences 2: (19) 414-417.
EXPOSURE TO COMPUTER
 Windows (XP/Vista,7.0)
 Internet
 MS Office
TECHNICAL SKILLS & ABILITIES
Analytical Instrument handling:
 UV/Visible Spectrophotometer, Colorimeter, Electrophoresis unit
 Vertical Microscope, Automated thermocycler, Gel documentation system, Fermenter.
 infrared gas analyzer (IRGA), ELISA reader

6. Microbiology:
 Microbiological Investigation (Media Preparation, Slide Preparation)
 Isolation, Identification and Maintenance of microorganisms
 Biochemical characterization
 Soil microbiological activities and soil physico-chemical parameters
 Serological Investigation
 Biological treatment of wastewater and its quality parameter
Molecular biology:
 Agar gel electrophoresis.
 SDS-PAGE and Native-PAGE
 Isolation & extraction of DNA
 PCR
Biochemical estimation:
 Qualitative and quantitative detection of hydrolytic enzyme
 Optimisation of fermenting conditions using fermenter
 Protein purification and characterization
Bioinformatics:
 Working knowledge of biological databases viz., Gene Bank, NCBI (Submitted six 16S rDNA sequences
of lipolytic bacterial strains under GenBank Accession numbers: FJ449843, FJ449844, FJ449845,
FJ449846, FJ449847 and FJ44984)
 Well versed with search engine viz., ENTRENZ, Clustal X, Mega 4.1
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURAL ATTRIBUTES
 Good analytical skills and data interpretation
 Good communication skills
 Listening skills
 Sound technical knowledge of Microbiology, Biotechnology & Food Technology
 Excellent Knowledge of Product Development
 Positive Attitude
 Drive for result
 Flexibility in thoughts and willingness to adopt to others ideas / thoughts.
 Collaboration with cross functional team to drive for results
 Well versed with MS Office and Internet Applications

7.  Data analysis using different software e.g. SPSS-17.0, Design-Expert software-8.0.1.3 for experimental
design
MEMBERSHIPS
 Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI membership number: 3793-2013)
 American Society of Microbiology (ASM ID number is: 56655400)
REFERENCE
Dr. Murali TSR: muralitsr@gmail.com; muralitsr@rediffmail.com; +91-9810140120
Dr. Radha Prasanna: radhapr@gmail.com; +91-9911188793
Dr. Lata: latarajat@yahoo.co.in; +91- 9868016139
I hereby declare that all the information intimated above is true to best of my knowledge
(Dr. Shikha Verma)