The European Rare Diseases Research Alliance (ERDERA) has officially announced that the Joint Transnational Call 2026 is open for applications as of 10 December 2025. This highly anticipated call invites research teams operating in Europe and internationally to collaborate on cutting-edge projects focused on “Solving Unresolved Cases in Rare Genetic and Non-Genetic Diseases through Variant Validation and Novel Technological Approaches.”
Project proposals to be submitted under the ERDERA 2026 Call may focus on the following areas:
- Functional validation studies conducted to classify Variants of Uncertain Significance (VUS) and increase the diversity of functional genomics research, or validation of candidate VUS to improve outcomes for a broader range of patients through the use of in silico, in vitro, or animal model systems (e.g. CRISPR-modified cells, iPSCs, organoids, etc.);
- Use of multi-omics or integrative methods (e.g. transcriptomics, epigenomics, etc.) to resolve ambiguous or complex variants;
- New tools/methodologies not yet validated in clinical settings, including biostatistics, advanced bioinformatics, and mathematical approaches (e.g. variant effect predictors, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based annotation platforms, etc.);
- Systems biology and disease mechanism modelling;
- Integration of clinical, environmental, lifestyle, and sensor-derived data;
- Development of knowledge graphs or disease maps to link phenotypic and mechanistic insights;
- Use of advanced AI and modelling tools (graph-based machine learning, probabilistic causal models). Supportive studies aiming to initiate clinical research authorization.
Please follow here for the details of the Joint Transnational Call announcement.
The ERDERA 2026 Call, which will support project proposals submitted by large multinational consortia, will follow a two-stage application process, with funding decisions expected to be made in December 2026:
12 February 2026: Deadline for first-stage international applications
8 July 2026: Deadline for second-stage international applications
For detailed information on national and international procedures of the ERDERA 2026 Joint Transnational Call, please click here. Before applying, it is strongly recommended to review the ERDERA 2026 Call National Application Rules document.
Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in the webinar to be held on 16 December 2025, between 15:00 – 17:00 CET, where valuable guidance on preparing applications will be provided. For more detailed information about the event and to register, please click here.
For information on International Application Rules:
Dr. M. Merve POLAT
Directorate for EU Framework Programmes
E-mail: erdera@tubitak.gov.tr
Phone: +90 312 298 17 82
For information on National Application Rules:
Arif DUYAR
International Cooperation Projects Research Support Group (UPAG)
E-mail: erdera@tubitak.gov.tr
Phone: +90 312 298 16 28
You may also contact the Joint Call Secretariat for questions regarding international procedures: