Dr Sheela Godbole takes over as head of ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute

Dr Sheela Godbole took over as director of Pune’s Indian Council for Medical Research-National AIDS Research Institute (ICMR-NARI) on Thursday. She was heading the epidemiology division at the institute before becoming its director.

An alumna of Pune’s Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College, Dr Godbole obtained her doctor of medicine (MD) degree in 1992. As principal investigator of numerous national and international projects, she has led large collaborative studies across India. Her research spans clinical trials for HIV and Covid, clinical-epidemiological research in HIV, other sexually transmitted infections like human papilloma virus (HPV), HIV-cancer research, HIV and congenital syphilis elimination studies and impact evaluation of government programmes.

She has also collaborated in research in HIV immunology, HIV drug resistance and antimicrobial resistance. She serves on various committees and technical resource groups for the National AIDS Control Organisation and is a member of the World Health Organisation’s Technical Advisory Group.

An experienced clinician and researcher, Dr Godboke is keen on guiding the institute towards newer horizons in disease elimination research as well as research in HIV and co-infections, according to an official statement.