World Rare Disease Day is marked on the last day of February by rare disease patient advocates across the globe as a way to raise awareness. This year, the focus of the day will be on research. In recognition of that, we spoke to Anne Pariser, deputy director of the Office of Rare Diseases Research at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Pariser discussed the changing role of patients in research, efforts to accelerate translational science, and what her office will be doing on World Rare Disease Day.