Rare Research Launchpad: A Career Exploration Series in Rare Disease Research

Rare disease research needs curious people with different skills, interests, and backgrounds, and there is no single path into the field.

Rare Research Launchpad: A Career Exploration Series in Rare Disease Research is designed for undergraduate, graduate, medical, post-baccalaureate, and other early-career learners who are interested in science, medicine, and research and want to explore where those interests could lead.

Through two rare diseases, cystic fibrosis and Krabbe disease, you’ll see how understanding disease biology can lead to new approaches to treatment, where important scientific questions remain, and what it takes to move discoveries from the laboratory toward patient care. You’ll hear directly from researchers, clinicians, and families living with rare disease and explore the many roles and training backgrounds that contribute to advancing rare disease research.

This course also includes a downloadable Research Exploration Toolkit designed to help you turn that exploration into action. Whether you’re looking for your first research experience or you’re ready to build on the experience you already have, the Toolkit offers practical guidance for exploring different areas of research, building relevant skills, finding research and training opportunities, connecting with potential mentors, and deciding what next steps make sense for you.

Download the Toolkit

You don’t need to have your career figured out before you begin. Come explore the science, meet the people behind the research, and discover where you might fit.

Rare Research Launchpad is supported by the Rosenau Family Research Foundation.