Dr Riti Sharan

Dr Riti Sharan is an award-winning immunologist recognised for her work on HIV, latent tuberculosis, and potential treatments for these conditions. She actively engages with both local and international communities to inspire the next generation of female scientists through workshops, mentorship, outreach programs, committee memberships, and speaking engagements.

During her time at CQUniversity, Dr Sharan completed her doctorate in just 3 years, authoring and co-authoring five peer-reviewed publications before graduating in 2011. Her doctoral research focused on the effect of copper in decreasing waterborne diseases, leading her to develop a cost-effective technique using copper storage vessels to reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases in developing nations. 

Following her PhD, Dr Sharan joined the Institut Pasteur in France as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, where she studied the efficacy and safety of vaccines against exacerbation by Nontypeable Haemophilius influenzae. In 2016, she took a role as Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Texas A&M Medical Science Center and transitioned to the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in 2019. Over the next five years, she advanced from a Postdoctoral Scientist to an Assistant Professor role, and now runs her own laboratory.

Dr Sharan utilises her expertise in an extensive list of specialities, from tuberculosis immunology to cloning techniques, and her professional experience to empower other women in science. Over the past few years, she has facilitated school STEAM outreach programs, mentored women working in infectious disease research and served as a judge for the Young Women’s Leadership Academy Science Fair. 

Dr Sharan is a respected figure in her field, having spoken at international events such as the Immunology2024 conference in Chicago and the International Conference on Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance in India. A multi-award winner, Dr Sharan’s most recent recognitions include the 2024 AAI Early Career Faculty Travel Grant, the 2022 Most Impactful Publication Award from Texas Biomedical Institute, and the 2022 Early-Stage Investigator Award from the Texas Developmental Center for AIDS Research for her impactful contribution to HIV research.