Children's receives grant to study rare diseases

Children's Hospital Boston has won a $25 million grant to create a center devoted to research on orphan diseases.

The Manton Foundation of New York has made the gift, one of the largest in the hospital's history, to establish the Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research. Orphan diseases -- called that because they are so rare that no treatment has been developed for them -- affect fewer than 200,000 people nationwide, according to the federal government. They tend to attract less attention from government and the pharmaceutical industry.

The Manton grant will support Children's and Harvard Medical School scientists studying rare diseases, including genetic syndromes, immune system problems, and metabolic and neuromuscular disorders, the hospital said in a statement.