Forging a Research Agenda for a Rare Disease

When Katheryn Elibri Frame’s daughter was diagnosed with CDKL5 disorder, a rare neurological condition that causes treatment-resistant seizures and often severe developmental and cognitive impairments, she co-founded the International Foundation for CDKL5 Research and worked to create a roadmap to a cure. Now, she’s focusing on clinical care and advocacy for CDKL5 patients. We spoke to Frame, president and founder of the CDKL5 Research Collaborative and a Global Genes 2018 Rare Champion of Hope nominee, about the condition, her work as a patient advocate, and her efforts to create centers of excellence to improve clinical care of CDKL5 patients.