The Wren Project Joins Connect Immune Research Partnership

We are proud to announce that The Wren Project has joined Connect Immune Research as its sixteenth member, becoming part of a pioneering cross-disciplinary initiative focused on advancing understanding of autoimmune disease.

Strengthening the autoimmune research landscape

Connect Immune Research brings together charities to investigate the shared mechanisms underlying autoimmune conditions. By uniting expertise across different diseases, the partnership aims to accelerate progress and deepen understanding of the complex biological processes that connect more than 80 known autoimmune conditions.

By joining the partnership, we are contributing a vital dimension to this work: the emotional and psychosocial impact of autoimmune diagnosis and long-term illness.

Bringing lived experience into research

Every day, we see the psychological toll that autoimmune conditions can have, from uncertainty and isolation to loss of identity and control. Our work supports people to regain a sense of agency, build resilience, and feel truly understood.

Alongside our direct support services, we are committed to strengthening the evidence base around the psychological needs of people living with autoimmune disease. By actively contributing to academic research, we aim to ensure that emotional wellbeing is recognised as a fundamental part of autoimmune care.

Kate Middleton, CEO of The Wren Project, said:

“We are excited to join a community who are equally as curious, compassionate and deeply invested in understanding autoimmune diseases as we are. Together, we can connect the dots, share insights, and support each other in navigating the complexities of autoimmune disease that so many people face.”

The power of partnership

We are delighted to be working alongside leading charities within Connect Immune Research, including Breakthrough T1D UK and Crohn’s & Colitis UK to ensure that autoimmune research reflects the full reality of living with these conditions.

Rachel Connor, Director of Research Partnerships at Breakthrough T1D UK, said:

“We’re delighted to welcome the Wren Project to the Connect Immune Research partnership. Their focus on the emotional and psychosocial impact of diagnosis, and of living with autoimmune conditions, is vital to the autoimmune community.

The Wren Project will complement and strengthen the Connect Immune Research member base, ensuring that autoimmunity research continues to be shaped by the full reality of those affected.”

By joining Connect Immune Research, we are reinforcing our commitment to ensuring that emotional wellbeing is not seen as secondary to physical symptoms, but as an integral part of supporting anyone diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.

Together, we look forward to helping shape a more connected future for autoimmune research and support.