
Join us for the
11th Annual Rare Disease Symposium
Thursday, February 29, 2024 – Friday, March 1st
Virtual via Zoom &
in-person in Birmingham, AL





Speakers/Panels
Next Generation Technology
Praduman Jain, Chief Executive Officer
Vibrent Health
Therapeutic/Sequencing
Rya Taft, Ph.D., Vice President of Scientific Research
Illuminia Inc.
Long read genome sequencing for the diagnosis of neuro-developmental disorders
Gregory Cooper, Ph.D., Faculty Investigator
HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
KEYNOTE– Beyond Engagement: Patient Communities as Critical Drivers of Rare Disease Research
Tania Simoncelli, M.S., Vice President, Science in Society
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
The NORD Rare Disease Centers of Excellence Program: Collaborating to Address Unmet Needs
Edward Neilman, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical and Scientific Officer
National Organization for Rare Disorders
Building a Community Engagement Model for Rare Disease: A Community Ambassador Approach
Teneasha Washington, Ph.D., MPH, MBA, Assistant Professor
UAB School of Public Health, Dep’t of Health Behavior