During his time at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London, Dr. Bodansky carried out research into factors that affect the development of complications in type 1 diabetes. On moving to Leeds in 1982, he started a long term research programme into factors that influence the onset or cause of type 1 diabetes in children and young adults. This has been carried out by establishing the Yorkshire register of diabetic children and young adults. The register has been used to observe the steady increase in new cases of diabetes and to look for any possible causes. He is the Medical Director of the Paediatric Epidemiology Group at the University of Leeds.

In addition, he has been active in a variety of trials for new drug treatments for erectile dysfunction in both diabetic and non-diabetic men.