Yes, any patient with any level of expertise in the patient engagement world, and who is willing to get involve in research initiatives can register to be matched with a suitable activity. At Symmetrian, we also encourage patients to enhance their knowledge and engage with their peers in the community.

Our advanced algorithm matches key variables from the patient experts profile, such as level of expertise, relevant skills, disease area and range of experience with relevant specific activities. This ensures the accuracy of the match and a further relevant collaboration.

Depending on the type of engagement, different expertise levels & skills may be required​. We base our assessment on the EUPATI-DE Expertise Matrix of Patients and Patient Advocates1. This matrix evaluates various competencies such as medical expertise, indication-specific knowledge, regulatory understanding, public health knowledge, communication skills, and personal experience to generate an overall expertise pattern. Each competency is rated to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the patient's experience and knowledge.

1Geissler, Bereczky, Dierks, Schumacher-Wulf, Schmitt, Claussen (2019/2020)​

Symmetrian is a European-born initiative, funded by European institutions. In its initial phase, our focus is on building and refining the platform within the European context. However, our ultimate vision is global. We are committed to expanding Symmetrian worldwide in a subsequent phase, facilitating meaningful connections between patients and researchers across the globe once our pilot has been thoroughly tested and optimised here in Europe.

Initially, Symmetrian will focus on oncology. The leading patient organisations behind the platform's development are primarily focused this field, allowing us to effectively test, validate, and optimise our algorithm. Rest assured, the platform's underlying design is built to include patients from all disease areas. Our intention is to open Symmetrian to a much broader range of conditions in future phases, creating a truly inclusive resource for patient involvement in all research.

Patient involvement ensures that research is more relevant and impactful, leading to better healthcare outcomes and increased trust in the research process.

This platform is powered, developed, and led by patients. It is funded by Rising Tide, a philanthropy organization dedicated to supporting health innovations, and BMBF (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung), the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Yes, we have robust data protection policies in place to ensure your information is secure.