In Their Own Words: WVCTSI Research Scholars
Dannell Boatman, EdD, MS - Current WVCTSI Research Scholar
Assistant Professor & Director of the Communicating for Health in Appalachia by Translating Science (CHATS) Lab and Core
WVU Cancer Institute
School of Medicine, West Virginia University
What inspired you to pursue clinical and translational research?
Growing up in West Virginia, I saw firsthand how often good science does not reach the people who could benefit most from it. That experience drives my work today. I am motivated by the challenge of translating complex evidence into clear, practical strategies that help people make informed health decisions in their daily lives. Clinical and translational research gives me the opportunity to bridge the gap between discovery and impact so that the science we create truly reaches and serves the communities it is meant to help.
Can you give a brief overview of your current project or area of investigation?
My current work focuses on developing and testing a multilevel health communication intervention to increase lung cancer screening in West Virginia and across Appalachia. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the region, yet screening rates are among the lowest in the nation. By combining patient, provider, system, and community-level strategies, my team is working to identify communication approaches that make screening more accessible, understandable, and actionable in rural primary care settings.
I also study misinformation about the HPV vaccine on social media and how persuasive communication can reduce its negative effects. This work includes harnessing social listening and artificial intelligence to monitor and learn from false or misleading narratives online in real time, allowing us to design more responsive and evidence-based communication strategies. Across both areas, my goal is to move beyond describing the problem to building and testing real-world solutions. I consider myself an interventionalist at heart, focused on research that leads to tangible change in the health and lives of Appalachian communities.
What did you find most helpful about the Research Scholar Program?
The Research Scholar Program gave me the opportunity to connect with other early career investigators who share a passion for applied research that makes a real difference in people’s lives. Building that collaborative network has been invaluable for sharing ideas, learning from others’ experiences, and finding new ways to approach complex health challenges in our state. I also gained a deeper understanding of the wide range of resources and expertise available through the WV Clinical and Translational Science Institute, which has strengthened both my current projects and my future research plans.
Was there a pivotal moment or mentor who helped shape your research path?
My path to research was shaped by my early work as a practice facilitator in rural West Virginia primary care clinics, where I helped implement evidence-based strategies to increase cancer screening rates. That experience opened my eyes to the real-world challenges of translating research into practice and showed me how communication could bridge that gap.
A major influence on my journey has been Dr. Stephenie Kennedy-Rea, who gave me my first position in public health and later served as my mentor during my postdoctoral fellowship at the WVU Cancer Institute. She taught me the power of applied research and the importance of working from a strengths-based approach that centers community voices. Her mentorship helped me see how bringing West Virginia voices into research not only makes our work more effective but also gives it purpose. That perspective continues to guide everything I do.
What real-world impact do you hope your research will have?
I hope my research helps close the gap between scientific discovery and everyday health decision-making. My goal is for the work we do to make trusted, evidence-based information more accessible and relevant to people’s lives, particularly in rural and Appalachian communities where health resources are often limited but community strength runs deep. I want to reach people where they are, whether that is in a clinic, a community setting, or a digital space, and help build communication strategies that make it easier to understand health information, trust it, and act on it.
Ultimately, I want my research to contribute to a culture where communication is recognized as a form of care and where science reaches the people it is meant to serve.
How has mentorship or collaboration influenced your growth?
Mentorship has been one of the most valuable parts of my career. I have been fortunate to work with mentors who bring diverse perspectives and complementary strengths that have shaped the way I approach research. Dr. Stephenie Kennedy-Rea, Dr. Bethany Barone-Gibbs, Dr. Lesley Cottrell, and Dr. Courtney Pilkerton each contributed unique expertise in research design, intervention development, implementation science, and rural clinical quality improvement.
Their mentorship through the Research Scholar Program has encouraged me to think differently, collaborate more intentionally, and view challenges from multiple angles. Together, they have helped me grow as an investigator who values both scientific rigor and real-world impact. Their example has also influenced how I approach mentorship within my own lab, where I aim to create the same supportive, collaborative environment that helps early career researchers find their voice and purpose in applied research.
What lessons would you share with others launching or growing their research careers?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is to find your unique voice and keep it at the center of everything you do. It is easy to get lost in competing responsibilities but remembering your “why” helps guide your decisions and keep your work grounded. For me, that “why” comes from my roots in West Virginia and a deep desire to reach people who remind me of my own family members, helping them take care of their health and receive the dignity and respectful care they deserve.
I would also encourage early career researchers to value the unique perspective they bring, even when it feels different from those around them. Sometimes I am the only social scientist in the room, but that difference matters. It helps others see their work in new ways and often inspires me to think differently too. Holding on to that sense of purpose and perspective is what keeps the work both meaningful and impactful.
How do you see your career evolving over the next five years?
Over the next five years, my independent research in the CHATS Lab will focus on developing and testing interventions that are both effective and scalable across West Virginia and beyond. I want to continue advancing multilevel communication interventions that improve how people access, understand, and act on health information, particularly in rural and Appalachian communities. My goal is to ensure that the work we do in the CHATS Lab leads to real-world impact and can be sustained within the communities we serve.
In parallel, I also direct the CHATS Core, which launched in July 2025 within the WVU Cancer Institute. Through the CHATS Core, I am working with researchers across disciplines to integrate community voices and audience perspectives into their projects, helping to reduce the 17-year gap between discovery and practice. This collaborative effort is aimed at strengthening the translation of research into meaningful outcomes and elevating the role of communication science, knowledge translation, and dissemination science within the biomedical sciences.
I also hope to continue elevating the importance of science communication and dissemination science for researchers more broadly. When these principles are built into the research process, we can ensure that studies are aligned with the right audiences, from funders to community members, and that the science we produce truly reaches and serves the people it is intended to help.
What advice would you give your younger self before starting this journey or in clinical and translational research?
I would tell my younger self to embrace the bumps along the way. My path to research was not a traditional one, and while it took me longer to get here, I would not trade that journey for anything. Every step shaped how I approach my work and deepened my understanding of the people and communities I work alongside.
I would remind myself that the detours often give you the perspective you need to do your best work. Each experience, even the unexpected ones, helps you grow into the kind of researcher you are meant to become. Trusting that process has been one of the most valuable lessons of my career.