Dr. Danielle Stevens, the newest Assistant Professor in UNC’s Department of Radiology, didn’t start her journey as the classic “mad scientist”—though she did dress up as one for Halloween as a kid. Instead, her path into research was shaped by a deep-rooted belief in prevention over treatment, a passion for public health, and an unwavering curiosity about how the earliest moments of life shape our long-term well-being.
Danielle’s research sits at the intersection of fetal development, environmental exposures, and imaging. Her current project—supported by a prestigious K99/R00 grant—investigates how children’s hearts and livers develop under different chemical exposures, with imaging tools like ultrasound providing crucial insight. What drew her to Radiology was precisely this ability to merge clinical images with deep analytical tools. “I had the environmental health background,” she says, “but I was excited by the opportunity to learn from people who are experts in imaging—who know how to extract meaningful features from images and interpret them.”
Her journey to radiology began long before she arrived at UNC. It started at Furman University, where she pivoted from a pre-med track toward public health research. “Once people are sick, you’re managing disease. But if we could divert resources to prevention, we could really change lives,” she explains. This perspective led her to study pediatric obesity, then to a PhD focused on early-life risk factors, and postdoctoral fellowships at the National Institutes of Health, where she explored how the prenatal environment affects fetal growth and maternal outcomes.
At UNC Radiology, Danielle is not only launching her own lab but also looking forward to mentoring students and trainees—something she explicitly sought out in her faculty role. “Mentoring is one of the parts of my job I love most,” she says. She already mentors students at the Gillings School of Global Public Health and plans to continue collaborating across disciplines.
Danielle describes herself in one word: curious. It’s a trait that’s not only guided her research career but also shaped how she engages with the world around her. Whether it’s diving into DIY home projects, hiking, or gardening, her personal life mirrors the thoughtfulness she brings to her work. She’s quick to laugh, reflect, and share the quirks that make her human—like her newfound vigilance with food after a recent celiac disease diagnosis or the joy of gifting her husband their newborn daughter’s first baseball glove.
When asked what advice she’d offer aspiring researchers, she answers without hesitation: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions—even the ones that seem silly. Every research journey starts with a question, and sometimes the most impactful ones evolve from the ones we almost didn’t ask.”
Above all, Danielle embraces the twists and turns that brought her to UNC. “My journey might sound meandering,” she admits, “but I think that’s what makes it beautiful. Every step adds up to a life full of purpose, wonder, and discovery.”
We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Stevens to UNC Radiology—a researcher, mentor, and compassionate scientist who reminds us that great work starts with great questions.