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Roger Packer, MD, Child Neurology, Washington, DC, Children's National Hospital

RogerPackerMD

Child Neurology • Washington, DC

Senior Vice President of the Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine, Gilbert Distinguished Professor of Neurofibromatosis, Director at Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Institute and the Brain Tumor Institute of Children’s National Hospital, Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at George Washington University, Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Virginia.

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Summary

  • Gilbert Family Distinguished Professorship in Neurofibromatosis. Former Director of the Brain Tumor Program and Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania. Throughout his career, Dr. Packer has been heavily involved in clinical and applied basic science research, touching on various aspects of adult and child neurology and neuro-oncology, including adult and pediatric brain tumors, neurofibromatosis type 1, the neurologic aspects of childhood neurogenetic diseases, and general child neurology, publishing over 400 original articles and 350 reviews and chapters.

    Dr. Packer spearheaded efforts in pediatrics for the program review, held by the NCI and NINDS for brain tumors, coordinating the first gene therapy study for children with malignant brain tumors in the U.S. He is presently co-chair of the Brain Malignancy Committee of the NCI. In 2020 the International Symposium on Pediatric Neuro-Oncology bestowed its Lifetime Achievement Award on Dr. Packer for his substantial contributions to pediatric oncology and scientific achievements.

    Presently, Dr. Packer is the principal investigator (PI) at Children’s National for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (PBTC), formed under the auspices of the National Cancer Institute (NCI); chairman of the PBTC Low-Grade Glioma Committee; site PI for Children's National for the Neurofibromatosis Clinical Trials Consortium; and chair of the Medulloblastoma Committee of the Children’s Oncology Group. Dr. Packer works closely with the NCI and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and has served on multiple committees setting the directions for neurologic clinical and basic science research for the future. Current research includes the development and performance of clinical trials for adults and children with neurologic, neuro-oncologic, and neurogenetic disorders, and peer-reviewed grant support for this research.

Education & Training

  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
    Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaFellowship, Child Neurology, 1978 - 1981
  • Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
    Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical CenterResidency, Pediatrics, 1976 - 1978
  • Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine
    Northwestern University The Feinberg School of MedicineClass of 1976

Certifications & Licensure

  • MD State Medical License
    MD State Medical License 1990 - 2025
  • VA State Medical License
    VA State Medical License 1990 - 2024
  • DC State Medical License
    DC State Medical License 1990 - 2024
  • PA State Medical License
    PA State Medical License 1978 - 1990
  • OH State Medical License
    OH State Medical License 1977 - 1979
  • American Board of Pediatrics Pediatrics
  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Neurology with Special Qualification in Child Neurology

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

  • America's Top Doctors Castle Connolly, 2002-2014
  • America's Top Doctors for Cancer Castle Connolly, 2005-2013
  • Top Doctors:Washington DC Area Castle Connolly, 2012
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Clinical Trials

Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Journal Articles

  • Clinically Relevant and Minimally Invasive Tumor Surveillance of Pediatric Diffuse Midline Gliomas Using Patient-Derived Liquid Biopsy  
    Eugene I Hwang, Cassie Kline, Soonmee Cha, Michael Prados, Lindsay B Kilburn, Nalin Gupta, Roger J Packer, Suresh N Magge, Clinical Cancer Research

Press Mentions

  • Novartis Secures USFDA Nod for Tafinlar plus Mekinist for Pediatric Brain Cancer
    Novartis Secures USFDA Nod for Tafinlar plus Mekinist for Pediatric Brain CancerMarch 16th, 2023
  • SonALAsense Forges Ahead with First Patient Dosing for Devastating Childhood Brain Cancer
    SonALAsense Forges Ahead with First Patient Dosing for Devastating Childhood Brain CancerSeptember 13th, 2022
  • Day One Announces Positive Initial Data from Pivotal FIREFLY-1 Trial of Tovorafenib (DAY101) in Relapsed Pediatric Low-Grade Glioma
    Day One Announces Positive Initial Data from Pivotal FIREFLY-1 Trial of Tovorafenib (DAY101) in Relapsed Pediatric Low-Grade GliomaJune 12th, 2022
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Professional Memberships

Hospital Affiliations

Dr. Roger Packer, Dr. Roger Packer, MD, Dr. R Packer