We could not run this site without the kind assistance of our sponsors and other supporters. We think its only fair that we let you know about them.

The Foyle Foundation
The Foyle Foundation is an independent grant-making trust that is one of the few foundations to fund research for rare genetic diseases. The Foyle Foundation is funding our PhD programme at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. Go to the Foyle Foundation website.

Swedish Orphan International, our founding sponsor. Without their initial and wholehearted enthusiasm and financial assistance this website might not have got off the ground.

The Swedish Orphan International Group of Companies is the pioneer and the initiator of a Nordic and International network of affiliated orphan companies. Specialized in the development, marketing and distribution of products used for the treatment of rare or life-threatening disorders, where current treatment is either unavailable or unsatisfactory. Seeks licensing-in opportunities from academic institutions and international companies.

Since the foundation in 1988, Swedish Orphan International Group has established collaborative agreements with more than 25 different pharmaceutical companies, associations and academic institutions. The company currently has more than 40 orphan products available in different parts of the world.

“In 1998 the National Organization for Rare Disorders presented its International Humanitarian Award to Lars-Uno Larsson and the SWEDISH ORPHAN AB Group of Companies for the pioneer work that has forever changed the lives of rare disease patients throughout the world.

In 2003, Swedish Orphan International Group received "The NORD 20-Year International Achievement Award" in recognition of the company’s extraordinary international effort to convey the need for orphan drug laws and diplomatic agreements to all industrialized countries of the world. In fact, no one has done more than the Swedish Orphan group of companies in the past 20 years to convey the orphan drug message to the farthest reaches of the world.” Go to the Swedish Orphan website.




Liverpool University Faculty of Medicine, comprising of the School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, School of Tropical Medicine and the School of Health Sciences and forming a major part of the Higher Education provision at the University of Liverpool.

The Faculty is a world leader in medical education with its innovative new undergraduate medical course and is widely recognised for its medical research expertise. Go to the Liverpool University School of Medicine website.

Big Lottery Fund



We have been extremely fortunate to receive funding the Big Lottery Fund Reaching Communities scheme and from the Awards for All scheme for our work. Reaching Communities is funding our AKU Information Centre project while Awards for All has funded our promotional activities. Go to the Big Lottery Fund website.

National Human Genome Research Institute / National Institute of Health NHGRI / NIH
We've had lots of support from the team at the NHGRI / NIH in Maryland United States. We'd especially like to thank Dr BIll Gahl MD PhD, Isa Bernardini M Ed, and Pim Suwannarat MD for their kindness and enthusiasm for our project. Pim and Bill have submitted an article on the Management and Therapy of Alkaptonuria which you can read here. Bill and Pim will also keep us up to date with their ongoing research. Many of you might already know of the team at NHGRI / NIH or indeed may have met them whilst undergoing research and treatment at the institute. The team have kindly sent us a photo.




The team at the NHGRI / NIH. From left to right it's Isa, Pim and Bill.

 To find out more about Dr Gahl's research interests, go to his page on the website of the Human Genome Research Institute.

The Childwick Trust
The Childwick Trust is funding our clinical research into how AKU affects sufferers. We are currently running a whole series of tests on AKU patients in the UK to gather more data on their health and how lifestyle changes can benefit them.