Join us at the RHIP Translational Research Symposium 2025, hosted by the Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct, for an inspiring afternoon of cutting-edge research and collaboration. This in-person event will showcase the transformative projects and people driving translational research across the precinct, with a focus on improving healthcare outcomes through innovation.
We are proud to highlight a keynote presentation by Professor Adam Jaffe, Director of Rare Diseases NSW. His talk, titled “Rare Diseases NSW: Care, Connect, Cure”, will explore the organisation’s mission to enhance care pathways, foster community connection, and accelerate research towards cures for rare conditions.
This symposium offers a unique opportunity to engage with leading researchers, clinicians, and policy-makers working at the forefront of medical science. Don’t miss the chance to network, learn, and contribute to the future of translational healthcare.
Professor Adam Jaffe, BSc (Hons), MBBS, MD, FRCP, FRCPCH, FRACP, FThorSoc is the John Beveridge Professor of Paediatrics at UNSW Sydney, Head of the Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, and Deputy Head of the School of Clinical Medicine. He also co-leads the Respiratory Department at Sydney Children’s Hospital.
Professor Jaffe has been a driving force in reshaping how rare diseases are understood, diagnosed, and treated in Australia and beyond. As Director of Rare Diseases NSW, his leadership is catalysing systemic change across clinical care, research, and policy.
One of his most significant contributions was co-authoring the National Strategic Action Plan for Rare Diseases, launched by the Australian Minister for Health in 2020. This landmark policy framework established national priorities for rare disease research, diagnosis, and care delivery, and was developed in close collaboration with Rare Voices Australia. It has since guided funding decisions, improved clinical standards, and elevated the visibility of rare conditions within the healthcare system.
Professor Jaffe’s advocacy extended to regulatory reform, where he served as the opening witness at the 2021 Parliamentary Inquiry into drug approval processes. His testimony directly influenced Health Technology Assessment pathways, improving access to life-changing medications for people living with rare diseases.
Internationally, Professor Jaffe represents Australia in global research networks for children with interstitial lung disease (chILD), collaborating with peers across Europe and the USA. He convened the first national chILD summit in 2020, bringing together all Australian paediatric hospitals to create a unified support and research framework for affected families.
His work with the WHO Collective Global Network for Rare Diseases and the Rare Disease International Taskforce has contributed to global policy frameworks, helping shape the World Health Assembly Resolution on rare diseases. These efforts have positioned Australia as a global leader in rare disease research and care.
Professor Jaffe has authored over 275 publications and secured more than $76 million in research funding, including a major role in the $30 million MRFF Frontiers project developing next-generation lung imaging technologies. These tools offer safe, rapid, and detailed lung function analysis for all ages, particularly benefiting children with rare respiratory conditions who are often underserved by conventional testing methods.
Through his research, policy leadership, and clinical innovation, Professor Jaffe continues to champion a future where people living with rare diseases receive timely diagnoses, equitable care, and hope for cure.