AcceleRare strives for excellence in its research program and inclusiveness in its collaborations.
Research program
Initially, our research will focus on a selected set of rare diseases for which world-class mechanistic and clinical expertise is available in Switzerland. To develop mechanism-based therapeutic approaches, we matched each disease with an appropriate drug discovery group. This collaborative effort allows a synergistic approach of an unprecedented scale towards drug discovery for rare diseases.
Our unique approach covers basic and applied research, proof-of-concept testing of clinical protocols, and research on societal impact (ethics, law, and management).
Selected rare diseases
- Methylmalonic aciduaria
- Hyaline fibromatosis syndrome
- Early childhood epilepsy
- Primary aldosteronism
- Autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease
- Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency
- Dent disease
- X-linked centronuclear myopathy
- GATA2 deficiency
- Urea cycle disorders
An interdisciplinary approach
The challenges posed by rare diseases cannot be overcome by individual efforts, but require an integrated, collaborative, and interdisciplinary approach. With AcceleRare, we combine state-of-the-art biomedical research with a research focus on the ethical, legal, and social implications of rare diseases and their treatments. Key features of AcceleRare include:
- Expanding and supporting the Swiss Rare Disease Registry
- Research programs into ethical, legal, and societal challenges faced by patients and their families
- Investigating the management of collaborative research projects
- Overcoming the challenges of data sharing and privacy
- Reaching out to patients, policy-makers, and society to identify solutions for the challenges posed by rare diseases
- Offering educational programs on rare diseases based on life-long learning (from high school to students, PhDs, and professionals)
- Bridging the gap between academia and industry to rapidly translate basic research into clinical practice.
AcceleRare 