Dr Shivani Sharma is presently working as Mycologist (Mushrooms) in the Department of Microbiology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. She holds a PhD in Microbiology from PAU, Ludhiana.  She has worked on “Production, purification and characterization of lentinan from Lentinus edodes” which was funded by Bharti Field Fresh, Laddowal. Her research interests include nutritional and medicinal properties of mushrooms, lignocellulosic degrdation of agricultural wastes by white rot fungi. For her noteworthy contribution in education and research she has been conferred with Yadavindra Young Scientist Award from Mushroom Society of India. She also got FABS, Devolved fellowship from University of Saskatchewan, Canada. She has published number of articles in national and international peer-reviewed journals and attended various seminars and conferences. She is actively involved in spawn production and compost preparation in order to cater the needs of mushroom growers in Punjab. She is actively involved in the field of extension by delivering lectures and organizing mushroom trainings for the stakeholders. She is a member of various societies working in life sciences including AMI, MSI, PSC and ISC etc.