Dr Gareth Baynam is developing precision medicines for Australia’s rarest and trickiest diseases.
Collectively common and affecting around 500,000 Australian children, rare diseases are the leading cause of child deaths in developed countries, with 95% of the 7,000 known rare diseases having no approved therapy. Gareth is working to change this through his work as a clinical geneticist, genomic policy advisor, clinician scientist and advocate.
Gareth is the Medical Director of the Rare Care Centre at Perth Children’s Hospital and its remote region hub in the Pilbara. He also founded the Undiagnosed Diseases Program to find answers for families without a diagnosis. Through his role at Rare Voices Australia, Gareth contributed to the development of Australia’s first National Strategic Action Plan for Rare Diseases.
His collaborative work has improved diagnosis, health delivery, research and community understanding of rare diseases, while also helping position Australia as a global leader in rare disease innovation and care.