Siya Sharma

Siya Sharma is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she studied anthropology and human biology and society.  During her time at UCLA, Siya immersed herself in years-long research at the university’s medical and sociocultural anthropology departments.  Under the guidance of Dr. Daniel Fessler and Dr. Abigail Bigham, she has cultivated a research niche focusing on the genome sequences present in Indian populations which contribute to metabolic disorder and lifestyle health problems.  Most recently, Siya spearheaded a study of key metabolic processes and their relation to adverse health outcomes associated with the consumption of refined flour in North India.  These experiences have allowed her to reconceptualize how genetics plays a key role in the dynamics between individuals and their respective health outcomes.  These days, Siya is focused on Indian women’s health outcomes and is also assessing epigenetic influences using laboratory, medical survey, and participant interview methods.

As a teenager, Siya fundraised for and purchased thousands of sanitary hygiene products which she distributed in local soup kitchens, food pantries, and food drives.  She has also volunteered as a medical caseworker at UCLA Health.  In her spare time, Siya led her university’s poetry and spoken word program.  She also served as a lead editor and creative director of UCLA’s FEM Magazine, a publication dedicated to writing about campus life through a feminist perspective.

The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a metabolic and reproductive endocrine disorder with no known cure.  Some of the highest rates of this disease are among Indian women.  In India, Ayurvedic conceptualizations of the menstrual cycle regularity causes PCOS diagnosis to be perceived as an energy imbalance within the body.  Siya’s Fulbright-Nehru research project is examining the ideas of health and balance for women diagnosed with PCOS and also their respective social, cultural, economic, and political conditions.  While studying the social perceptions and current medical approaches to treating this disorder, Siya is proposing a two-part PCOS management model which incorporates both Ayurvedic concepts and biomedical practices.