Features
A joint transnational call for proposals has been published by the European Rare Diseases Research Alliance (ERDERA) partnership 2026 Joint Transnational Call, “Resolving Unsolved Cases in Rare Genetic and Non-Genetic Diseases.”
The goal of this call for proposals is to address the challenges arising from the needs of patients with rare diseases (RD) and to enable scientists to build effective, multinational, and interdisciplinary research collaborations based on shared interests and the exchange of knowledge. The expected impact lies in the future translation and application of the results for the benefit of patients.
The purpose of this call for proposals is to advance research and provide diagnostic clarity regarding (1) undiagnosed rare genetic diseases and (2) complex, multifactorial rare non-genetic diseases, by identifying variants in patients who remain undiagnosed despite previous genetic or genomic testing.
The suggested areas of interest are:
– Functional validation to classify variants of uncertain significance (VUS);
– Use of multi-omic or integrative methods to resolve ambiguous or complex variants;
– Use of new tools/methodologies that have not yet been validated in a clinical setting;
– Integration of clinical, environmental, lifestyle, and sensor-derived data;
– Development of knowledge graphs or disease maps to link phenotypic and mechanistic knowledge;
– Use of advanced AI and modeling tools.
The call for proposals is co-funded by the European Union and involves more than 30 funding organizations.
In addition, the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) is participating in this call for proposals as the national funding agency.
Submission deadline.
The following table lists the different dates:
| Phase | Date |
|---|---|
| Call Opens | December 10, 2025 |
| Deadline for Pre-Proposals | February 12, 2026 |
| Call for Full Proposals | Early May 2026 |
| Deadline for full proposals | July 8, 2026 |
| Full Proposal Eligibility Check | July 23, 2026 |
| Notification of Funding Decision | December 2026 |