Collaborative Research Areas

At Notre Dame, our team of scientific pioneers is pushing the boundaries of rare disease research, launching groundbreaking programs, and developing innovative tools to accelerate discovery and transform patient outcomes.

Warren Center for Drug Discovery

The Warren Center for Drug Discovery at Notre Dame is advancing research on rare diseases by focusing on developing new drug candidates and therapies for conditions with limited treatment options. The center collaborates with academic researchers and industry partners to identify molecular targets and design small molecules or biologics that can address the underlying causes of rare diseases. Please contact Brian Blagg if you wish to learn more and collaborate with the Center.

TIME Lab

The goal of the TIME Lab (Tumor Immune Microenvironment & Mechanics Laboratory) is to uncover the complexities and abnormalities of the tumor microenvironment and its role in cancer progression and treatment resistance. This includes not only biological, chemical, and electrical atypia, but physical features as well, including abnormal tissue mechanical properties and forces. By applying engineering problem-solving approaches to incurable cancers, the TIME Lab seeks to identify and validate biophysical targets of interest using novel and clinically translatable methods — on Earth and beyond. Contact Meenal Datta if you would like to learn more and collaborate.

Zebrafish Facility

Zebrafish have emerged as a powerful model organism for studying rare diseases due to their genetic similarities to humans and their transparent embryos, which allow for easy observation of developmental processes. Researchers are using zebrafish to model various rare diseases, and at Notre Dame they are being used to study rare neurological diseases and kidney defects. Contact Cody Smith to learn more.

Applied & Computational Mathematics & Statistics

The Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS) at Notre Dame is contributing to rare disease research by applying advanced mathematical and statistical modeling to better understand disease mechanisms and improve treatment approaches. ACMS researchers collaborate with other departments and centers, such as the Warren Center for Drug Discovery, to develop computational tools and models that can analyze large datasets, identify disease patterns, and predict treatment outcomes. Their work supports efforts to discover therapeutic targets and improve clinical strategies for various rare diseases, including genetic disorders and cancers​. Contact Fang Liu to learn more.

Notre Dame research on the tumor microenvironment in the context of rare diseases focuses on understanding how the interactions between cancer cells and their surrounding environment contribute to tumor progression, immune suppression, and resistance to therapies. Contact the Harper Cancer Research Institute and Xin Lu to learn more.