Arati Sharma

Dr. Arati Sharma is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Precision Medicine at Penn State University. She maintains multiple significant affiliations including the Penn State Cancer Institute, the Cancer Institute's Next-Generation Therapies program, and the Center for Cannabis and Natural Product Pharmaceuticals (CCNPP). With an h-index of 31 and over 4253 citations across 73 research outputs, Dr. Sharma has established herself as a leading researcher in cancer biology with consistent productivity from 2003 through 2025.

Dr. Sharma's research primarily focuses on melanoma, described as the most aggressive and metastatic form of skin cancer, where she investigates target identification and validation, chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent development, and mechanism of action elucidation. Her work has expanded significantly into hematological malignancies, particularly acute myeloid leukemia. Key research areas include:

• Melanoma biology and progression mechanisms
• Cancer cell signaling pathways (particularly AKT3)
• Natural product-based cancer therapeutics
• Sphingolipid metabolism in leukemia
• Epigenetic regulation in hematological malignancies
• Molecular targets for cancer treatment

Dr. Sharma's publication record shows an evolution from foundational melanoma research toward more targeted therapeutic approaches. Recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strategic expansion into both solid tumor and blood cancer research, with particular emphasis on molecular mechanisms, novel drug candidates, and metabolic subtyping of cancers. Her fingerprint analysis reveals strong connections to melanoma (98% relevance), acute myeloid leukemia (100% relevance), and nodular melanoma (56% relevance).

Dr. Sharma has secured significant research funding from the National Cancer Institute, including projects on 'Chemopreventive Efficacy of Plumbagin in Melanoma' (2009-2010) and 'Establishing bioactive serum and toxicity levels for Nanolipolee-007' (2012-2014). Her current research continues this trajectory of developing novel therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment, with particular emphasis on natural compounds and molecularly targeted therapies.

Her laboratory work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to good health and well-being, particularly through cancer research and development of novel therapeutics. The Center for Cannabis and Natural Product Pharmaceuticals affiliation suggests exploration of plant-derived compounds for cancer treatment, building on her previous work with compounds like plumbagin and leelamine.