Nikhil Sharma is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology. From January 2027, he will be a visiting collaborator in the Levin Lab while primarily based in Joshua Plotkin's group at the University of Pennsylvania as a DFG Walter Benjamin Fellow.

His research focuses on evolutionary graph theory and the role of spatial structure in evolutionary dynamics. Using mathematical modelling, stochastic processes, network theory, and computational methods, he studies the evolution of risk preferences, cooperation, and evolutionary dynamics in structured populations.

He completed his PhD with distinction at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology under the supervision of Arne Traulsen. In recognition of his research achievements, he received the Kiel Life Science Early Career Postdoctoral Award in 2025. During his doctoral studies, he was supported by a fellowship from the International Max Planck Research School for Evolutionary Biology.

Before beginning his doctoral studies, he worked as a research intern at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology. He obtained an M.Sc. in Theoretical Physics from the University of Cologne and a B.Sc. in Physics from St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi.