Meena B Bansal

Meena B Bansal, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, specializing in Liver Diseases and Gastroenterology. She has been a faculty member since 2001 and served as the Hepatology Fellowship Director starting in 2002, leading one of the largest hepatology training programs in the United States. Her work spans clinical care, education, and NIH-funded basic research.

• AB, Harvard University
• MD, Cornell University Medical College
• Residency, Internal Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Center
• Fellowship, Gastroenterology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Bansal’s research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis and regeneration, with particular emphasis on the roles of chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CCR5 in stellate cell biology and fibrogenesis. Her work has significant implications for understanding HCV- and HIV/HCV-induced liver disease, as well as Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH). She investigates Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and environmental factors such as heavy metals in liver pathology.

Her recent publications highlight trans-ancestral genetic studies using machine learning for liver disease phenotyping, and analyses of environmental and workplace toxins on liver damage and telomere length. These studies reflect a trend toward integrating computational methods, environmental health, and molecular biology to understand complex liver diseases across diverse populations.

Her scientific honors include:

• 2022 Achievement Awardee, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin
• 2019 Achievement Honoree, RANA Annual Awards
• 2006 Dr. Harold and Golden Lamport Research Award
• 2001 First Prize, Komarov Competition-Basic Science
• Multiple awards from Cornell University and the American Gastroenterological Association

Dr. Bansal actively mentors trainees, including current student Yedidya Saiman and postdoctoral fellows Ana Tuyama and Ritu Agarwal. Her research is supported by NIH funding, and she leads a multidisciplinary team investigating liver fibrosis mechanisms. She is engaged in both clinical practice and academic leadership, contributing to patient care, education, and research innovation at Mount Sinai.

Her research team includes:

• Vikram Sivakumar
• Alejandra Paredes
• Anna Mageras
• Mark Miller
• Julia Napoli
• Rohit Nathani
• Jake Debroff
• Rabab Oun Ali Anwar
• Alyssa Chen
• Feng Hong (Research Personnel)