UPenn’s Orphan Disease Center Takes a Rare Approach

Rare disease centers at academic institutions are usually places that focus on early-stage research of faculty members, but the Orphan Disease Center at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine takes a multidimensional approach to address the needs or the rare disease community. In addition to conducting its own research, the center collaborates with both pharmaceutical companies and patient groups, makes grants to support external research, and helps patient groups and families find new researchers and helps guide them to develop essential tools to work on a specific disease. We spoke to Ashley Winslow, senior director of portfolio development at the center, about its work, how it has evolved from its origins, and how it leverages the work it does through collaboration.