Rare diseases: New centre established

Paediatrician and professor Barbara Plecko is now heading a university centre for rare diseases at the Medical University of Graz, bringing together her decades of experience in caring for affected children. The focus is on the often complex process of diagnosis, as well as the long-term support of patients and their families.

Advances in genetics now enable significantly earlier detection of rare diseases and, in some cases, open up new, targeted treatment options. Around 400,000 people are affected in Austria.

The new centre combines paediatric and adult medicine to care for patients throughout all stages of life. Barbara Plecko, who focused her career early on paediatric neurology and metabolic disorders and brings international experience to the role, now heads the Department of General Paediatrics at the University Hospital Graz and remains deeply committed to children with rare diseases.

She has also been named ‘Styrian of the Day’ by the Kleine Zeitung – congratulations!