Archana A. Patel

Archana A. Patel is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and a Child Neurologist specializing in pediatric epilepsy with a focus on global health. She is affiliated with Boston Children’s Hospital, where she directs the Global Neurology program and leads the Child Neurology Residency Global Health Track. Her clinical practice and research emphasize improving access to neurology care in low-resource regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Patel holds adjunct roles at the University of Global Health Equity (Rwanda) and serves as an honorary consultant at Zambia’s University Teaching Hospital.

Education:

• MD: Oregon Health & Science University (2009)
• MSc: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
• MPH: Drexel University
• Pediatric Residency: University of Arizona and Boston Children’s Hospital
• Pediatric Neurology Residency: Boston Children’s Hospital (2014)
• Pediatric Epilepsy Fellowship: Boston Children’s Hospital (2015)

Research Focus: Dr. Patel’s work centers on identifying early epilepsy biomarkers in malaria-affected children, optimizing epilepsy care in resource-limited settings, and strengthening global neurology education. Her projects include training programs for Zambian healthcare providers and collaborations with WHO to develop epilepsy care guidelines.

Professional Contributions: She has pioneered the use of community health workers in Zambia to sustain epilepsy care during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Her leadership roles include advisory positions for Human Resources for Health Rwanda and the WHO’s neurological disorders initiatives. Recent efforts include adapting ketogenic diet therapies for low-income countries and advancing epilepsy surveillance in Zika-affected populations.

Labs/Teams: Her work is anchored in Boston Children’s Hospital’s Epilepsy & Clinical Neurophysiology division and extends through partnerships with global health institutions, including the University of Zambia and the University of Global Health Equity.