The joint conference of EJPRD and ERICA served as a critical platform for participants to explore and highlight the collaborative synergies between the two projects, with a focused agenda on enhancing the research and innovation capabilities within the European Reference Networks (ERNs). The primary goal of this conference was to foster advancements that would accelerate the diagnosis process for patients with rare diseases.

A noteworthy part of the event was the presentation by Adriana Planinic from St. Anna CCRI’s Research Management Office and Bonka Georgieva from Consorzio per Valutazioni Biologiche e Farmacologiche (CVBF). They introduced several significant outputs from the collaborations between ERICA and EJPRD, including the Innovation Management Toolbox (IMT), the Catalogue Of Services (COS), and a series of educational materials. These tools and resources are designed to support and enhance the work of professionals within the rare diseases research community.

St. Anna CCRI is a beneficiary of both initiatives, actively contributing to the progression of this vital field. Prof. Ruth Ladenstein, the ERNPaedCan coordinator at the institute, is at the forefront of these efforts as the Principal Investigator, guiding the institute’s contributions toward impactful outcomes. The overarching mission of these collaborative efforts is to deliver science that makes a tangible difference, particularly for patients facing the challenges of rare diseases.