Boys Town Named Batten Disease Center of Excellence Affiliate Center
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Boys Town National Research Hospital has been officially awarded a
Batten Disease Clinical Center of Excellence Program “Affiliate Center" designation by the Batten Disease Support, Research, and Advocacy (BDSRA) Foundation.
Boys Town Hospital is the 11th site to join the BDSRA Foundation's Batten Disease Clinical Center of Excellence (CoE) Program, a national network of centers that provide the highest level of comprehensive Batten-specific care for patients and their families.
“This accomplishment makes me proud to be part of Boys Town National Research Hospital as we continue to advance patient care, not only in the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases, but many other specialized conditions," said Isabella Herman, M.D., Ph.D., Boys Town Pediatric Neurogenetics and Rare Disease Clinic.
Boys Town Hospital provides multidisciplinary specialty care for children with rare conditions which often require complicated evaluations and coordinated expertise. Our approach is designed to ensure children receive advanced, compassionate care close to home, so families can focus on healing.
That's how we approach Batten disease, a group of inherited neurodegenerative disorders that can cause vision loss, seizures, cognitive decline and motor deterioration – all requiring specialized care and support.
“This is a significant time for the BDSRA Foundation and the Batten disease community. We are proud to see the continued expansion of the CoE Program, which is a testament to the exceptional expertise, quality and dedication of our Batten disease clinicians and centers nationwide," said Dr. Ineka Whiteman, BDSRA's Head of Research and Medical Affairs.
