Dr. Shashi K. Sharma serves as Team Leader of Special Pathogens and Select Agents (SPSA) of the Division of Microbiology in the Office of Regulatory Science. He oversees a group of researchers and support scientists engaged in a multi-parameter research program to develop and apply microbiological and molecular genetic strategies for detecting, identifying, and differentiating select agent and bacterial foodborne pathogens. His early work deals with the development of monoclonal antibodies and immunodiagnostics of HIV and typhoid including a unique detection system based on liposomal technology for syphilis antigen. Dr. Sharma received his Ph.D. in Microbiology from University of Bhopal, India in 1992. In 1994, he joined the Department of Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, where he worked on the structure and function of botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs). Dr. Sharma came to the FDA in 2002 and oversees studies relating to the detection and identification of select agents and foodborne pathogens. He is a member of the American Society for Microbiology and has co-authored more than 50 publications and book chapters on detection and identification of select agents such as botulinum, ricin, Bacillius anthracis and Francisella tularensis. Dr. Sharma's research focuses on development and validation of an effective and sensitive detection system for BoNTs in foods. He serves in advisory role to U.S. government agencies on assay development for select agents