Danielle Boyce, DPA, MPH is the Executive Director for the Center and the Answer ALS Research Project and Assistant Professor of Neurology. Danielle has 20-years of experience to the Packard Center as a researcher, patient advocate, public speaker and author.
With a background in epidemiology and biostatistics, Danielle spent 15 years as a research data analyst and statistician at Johns Hopkins University. She thought her career path was set until her son, Charlie, was born with a rare form of epilepsy.
Prompted to action, Danielle coordinated with the Food and Drug Administration, industry groups, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Through these collaborations, she advocated for cross-cutting research that addressed the needs of patients.
While Danielle began her work with the epilepsy community, she has brought this passion to the ALS community when she began volunteering with Answer ALS and other ALS organizations in 2020. Through these endeavors, she has leveraged her academic and professional experience to navigate bureaucracy to help patients and researchers, as well as government and industry officials work together toward a common goal.
According to Boyce, patients are interested in basic science, not just clinical trials. This is important because patients can support scientists in their research to address outcomes that matter to their community.