The Alliance4Rare Grows
This is another milestone for Alliance4Rare and an important step in rare disease research: Thanks to the support from the Wilfried and Martha Ensinger Foundation, University Hospital Tübingen can now be added as a fifth site to the network. Together with the founding partners Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, University Hospital Dresden, and University Medical Center Göttingen, Tübingen strengthens the research initiative with valuable expertise and fresh momentum for research and the development of innovative therapies for rare diseases in children and adolescents.
The expansion of the research network is much more than just an organizational step – it demonstrates what is possible when civil engagement and scientific excellence come together. Edith Holzberger, director of the Wilfried and Martha Ensinger Foundation, sums it up:
“Alliance4Rare stands for the power of community: Together, we open doors to a healthier future. We are delighted to be part of this pioneering initiative.”
Creating New Perspectives – And Direct Benefits for Patients
The scientific director and chairwoman of the Eva Luise and Horst Köhler Foundation, Prof. Dr. Annette Grüters-Kieslich, adds: “With the Wilfried and Martha Ensinger Foundation as a partner, Alliance4Rare becomes even stronger. This way, we can create new perspectives for those who need them most – children and adolescents with rare diseases and their families.”
One person who knows the research initiative especially well is Prof. Dr. Hendrik Rosewich. As site spokesperson for Alliance4Rare and Director of Pediatrics III at University Hospital Tübingen, he brings in-depth knowledge and special commitment to the network. Previously, Professor Rosewich was a senior physician at University Medical Center Göttingen, where he was actively involved in the founding and development of Alliance4Rare from the very beginning.
In this interview, he talks about his personal motivation, the significance of the research initiative, and ideas for how the network can have an even greater impact.
Dear Professor Rosewich, what defines Alliance4Rare for you? Why do you actively commit to this initiative in addition to your many other responsibilities?
Prof. Dr. Hendrik Rosewich: Alliance4Rare creates a platform to pool knowledge, work interdisciplinarily, and bridge the gap between cutting-edge diagnostics, therapy, and the needs of children and adolescents. It connects outstanding pediatric research with direct benefits for those affected – that makes it so special. In my hospital routine, I repeatedly meet families desperately seeking answers because there is no clear diagnosis or therapy for their child’s disease. Alliance4Rare opens up perspectives for them. For me personally, engagement in this initiative is a matter close to my heart. It feels good to be part of a network that achieves so much.
What does the Tübingen site contribute to further strengthen Alliance4Rare?
Prof. Dr. Hendrik Rosewich: Tübingen is a center of top-level research, and this is reflected in our commitment to rare diseases. We have an excellent infrastructure here, whether in genetics, cell and gene therapy, or in interdisciplinary collaboration. Our Center for Rare Diseases closely cooperates with various departments and international partners to enable complex diagnoses and therapies. Through collaboration with the other Alliance4Rare sites in Berlin, Dresden, and Göttingen, synergies are created which strengthen the entire network. This allows us to do even more for affected children and adolescents, ensure the best possible care, and advance urgently needed research.
What is your vision for the network? Where do you see Alliance4Rare in ten years?
Prof. Dr. Hendrik Rosewich: My vision is that in ten years’ time, Alliance4Rare will be established as a broad, sustainable network that sets standards not only nationally, but also internationally. We want to significantly increase the number of supported research projects and the spectrum of treated rare diseases. The initiative should continue to grow as a platform for scientific exchange and the crucial support of young scientists in the field of rare diseases. Most importantly, I hope Alliance4Rare will remain a model for real collaboration – between clinics, science, society, and, of course, the affected families. Because only together can we make real change. My goal is for the Alliance4Rare sites for rare diseases to become what cancer centers are for oncology patients today: places of hope, reliable support, and access to the best medical options.
