About Us
Who am I?
My name is Zeynep Behram, and I’m a postgraduate student at University College London, studying MSc Personalised Medicine and Novel Therapies.
But more than that, I am someone who deeply believes in the power of science to change lives, and in the power of people to drive that change together.
Through Rare and Dare platform, my goal is to create a space where ideas, resources, and people come together to accelerate progress for rare disease communities around the world.
My Story
Over the years, my journey has taken me from lab benches to investment meetings, from classrooms filled with curious children to clinical departments and global science outreach projects.
During my undergrad, I have conducted research into making cancer models more sustainable, supported healthcare education through writing and publishing, and worked in both academic and pharmaceutical settings. I have also been part of a venture capital team evaluating MedTech innovations that could shape the future of healthcare.
At the heart of all these experiences lies a single question that drives me:
How can we bring people together to solve complex medical challenges creating a global impact?
In the summer of 2024, I travelled to Bitlis, one of the most economically disadvantaged regions in Turkey, as part of the World Science Movement project led by a charity called Young Global ImpAct (YGA). There, we held a science workshop for children with special educational needs. With the incredible support of their teachers and families, I witnessed how beautifully these children could engage with the world when given the right opportunities. I was deeply moved by their enthusiasm, resilience, and curiosity, and that experience stayed with me. It was, in fact, one of the main inspirations behind creating the Rare and Dare platform. During this experience, I saw how can collaboration and correct education solve complex issues.
This platform is not just an academic project. It is a commitment to stand with a community that dares to challenge the status, and dares to push for progress together. I am especially grateful to my wonderful supervisors, Mark and Teo, who believed in this project from the very beginning. Their encouragement gave me the confidence to turn this vision into something real.
I sincerely thank everyone I have had the privilege to meet along this journey, your support, insight, and encouragement have shaped this project in meaningful ways.
Let's dare to change the Rare diseases field together !
Advisory Board will be announced soon