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MUNSTER Technological University (MTU) Tralee is set to host the All-Ireland Rare Disease Interdisciplinary Research Network (RAiN) symposium on Monday, June 10 from 11am-4:30pm. This symposium is open to anyone living with or interested in rare diseases.
Rare diseases, while individually uncommon, collectively pose a significant challenge to the global population, affecting approximately 350 million people worldwide.
In Ireland, the situation is particularly stark, with an estimated 410,000 individuals grappling with rare diseases, a staggering 70% of whom are children and young people.
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RAIN directly responds to this pressing research gap, providing a platform for the voices of individuals and families to be heard and actively contribute to research that directly impacts them.
RAiN is funded by the Department of the Taoiseach’s office through the Shared Island New Foundations Awards and UCD Strategy funding.
RAIN represents a collaborative effort to address the unique needs of families affected by rare diseases, amplifying their voices and driving meaningful change.
The network involves University College Dublin (UCD), Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and 33 partner organisations across the Republic and Northern Ireland, including Munster Technological University. RAiN is co-led by Associate Professor Suja Somanadhan (UCD) and Prof. AJ McKnight (QUB).
Speaking ahead of the symposium, Dr. Somanadhan said, “Rare diseases affect hundreds of thousands of people across the island of Ireland. It is imperative that we continue to make progress in our research of these conditions to better assist those living with them. Events like the symposium at MTU Tralee provide essential learning and networking opportunities for people living with rare diseases and early career researchers. These events help to develop a community of practice and encourage those investigating rare diseases to further progress their research.”
For more information on attending the symposium, call RAiN Coordinator Melissa Kinch at RAINALLireland@ucd.ie.
For more information on RAiN, see the network’s website – https://www.rainrareresearch.org/
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