Ajay Kumar Sharma Lab

About Dr. Sharma

Dr. Ajay Kumar Sharma is an accomplished researcher specializing in radiochemistry, medicinal chemistry and molecular imaging. His expertise includes designing and executing multi-step organic synthesis of small molecules, linear and cyclic peptides, and peptide drug conjugates. He is proficient in analytical techniques for purification and characterization of those molecules including high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry.

He has extensive experience in generating peptides and small molecule-based theranostics using various radionuclides (¹⁸F, ⁶⁴Cu, ⁶⁸Ga, ¹⁷⁷Lu, ²²⁵Ac). His expertise spans techniques such as PET/CT and PET/MR imaging, affinity and specificity determination, conducting biodistribution studies, and analyzing images using software like Amira, Amide, and PMOD.

In pursuit of establishing his identity as a leading scientist in the area of molecular imaging and nuclear medicine, Dr. Sharma has successfully secured multiple prestigious grants including an Outside the Box grant from the HERA Ovarian Cancer Foundation, Colorectal Cancer Research Center of Excellence Pilot Award by Johns Hopkins, and 2024 ERF/NETRF Nuclear Medicine Pilot Research Grant in Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs), serving as principal investigator.

Outside the lab, Ajay finds joy in mountain hiking, camping, and exploring scenic drives with his family. He believes in science with purpose and lives by the motto: "Chase curiosity, create impact."