Chandigarh, September 11:- Dr. Kusum Sharma, Professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Nodal Officer for Extra-Pulmonary Tuberculosis (EPTB) at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, has been selected for the prestigious National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) Women in Medicine Award 2026.
The national honour recognizes Dr. Sharma’s pioneering, two-decade-long contributions to molecular diagnostics, clinical microbiology and translational research in extra-pulmonary and drug-resistant tuberculosis.
She will be officially honoured with the Scroll of Honor during the convocation ceremony of NAMSCON 2026, to be held on October 10, 2026, at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu.
Working in a high-burden country where complex forms of tuberculosis present serious clinical challenges, Dr. Sharma has fundamentally transformed the landscape of EPTB and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) management. Her research group has successfully bridged the gap between advanced genomic science and routine clinical care, impacting patient outcomes across India.
Major Scientific and Academic Achievements:
Patented Multiplex PCR Innovation (Indian Patent No. 340788): Developed and internationally validated a novel multiplex PCR assay, including validation at the Jacksonville State Laboratory in the USA, which significantly enhances diagnostic sensitivity in paucibacillary conditions such as tuberculous meningitis (TBM), ocular TB and gastrointestinal TB.
Point-of-Care and Decentralized Diagnostics: Pioneered magnetic bead-based and multi-targeted loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays, enabling accurate, battery-operated and equipment-free testing designed for rural and resource-limited settings.
Global Breakthroughs in Ocular TB: Led the world’s first global report on drug resistance in ocular tuberculosis and established clinical criteria that revolutionized intraocular TB diagnosis and care.
National Leadership on INDEX-TB Guidelines: Served as the lead microbiologist for the national extra-pulmonary tuberculosis guidelines for India, known as the INDEX-TB Guidelines, prepared by the Central TB Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, in collaboration with WHO and AIIMS, New Delhi.
Advanced Genomic Surveillance and Make-in-India Integration: Conducted extensive evaluation of indigenous platforms such as the Truenat MTB-Plus assay under the Make in India initiative, while leading cutting-edge research projects involving high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis, whole genome sequencing (WGS), targeted next-generation sequencing (TNGS), long-read nanopore sequencing and CRISPR-Cas12a diagnostic platforms.
Excellence in NTM Identification: Standardized molecular, sequencing-based and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry protocols for species-level identification of non-tuberculous mycobacteria, transforming PGIMER into a major national referral centre for complex NTM cases.
Dr. Sharma’s selection for the NAMS Women in Medicine 2026 cohort underscores her sustained commitment to medical excellence, academic leadership and alleviating the suffering of patients with complex mycobacterial infections.