Geetanjali Bansal, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Geetanjali Bansal, M.Sc., Ph.D. is a Senior Science Advisor and the acting leader of the Science Team at the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR). In this role, she leads the OAR team that provides technical and scientific expertise in support of the office’s efforts to shape NIH HIV research priorities and coordinate HIV research across the agency.

Dr. Bansal joined OAR in 2019, bringing more than two decades of experience in chronic comorbidities and complications and immunology. In addition to her current role leading the OAR Science Team, her portfolio includes topical expertise in HIV-associated comorbidities, HIV and aging, and HIV etiology and pathogenesis. She developed and managed the HIV and Aging Signature Program, fostering multisectoral collaborations across NIH and its federal partners, investigators, health care providers, and the broader HIV community. Dr. Bansal played a pivotal role in supporting the development of the FY 2026-2030: NIH Strategic Plan for HIV and HIV-Related Research, and she serves as the alternate designated federal official for the OAR Advisory Council (OARAC).

Dr. Bansal previously worked as a scientific review officer for immunology-related grants and proposals at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). While at NIAID, she was instrumental in the development of a data management system to facilitate the semi-automated generation of summary statements and efficient collation and reporting of peer review data. Earlier, as an Assistant Professor at Georgetown University, her research focused on the redox pathobiology of lung and heart diseases.

Throughout her career, Dr. Bansal has worked to support the next generation of researchers. She was actively involved in the development of numerous initiatives for early career investigators, including the OAR Early Career Investigator Signature Program, NIAID New Innovators Awards, and the Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Grant Program.

Dr. Bansal holds an M.Sc. in biophysics and a Ph.D. in investigating the immunopathogenesis of cardiovascular disease from Panjab University, India. She completed her postdoctoral training at NIAID and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), both at NIH.