A multinational research team led by Dr. Gabriella Gobbi has been selected for ERDERA Joint Transnational Call 2025 funding—one of just 18 projects awarded from 161 proposals worldwide
SOURCE: The Institute
January 12, 2026
An international research team led by Gabriella Gobbi, MD, PhD, a Senior Scientist at The Institute, has been awarded highly competitive funding through the European Rare Diseases Research Alliance (ERDERA) Joint Transnational Call (JTC) 2025 for a preclinical project focused on a novel therapy for autism spectrum disorder associated with Fragile X syndrome and Phelan-McDermid syndrome.
The ERDERA JTC 2025 attracted applications from research teams across Europe and beyond, with only 18 projects selected for funding following a rigorous international peer-review process. The funded portfolio represents the first cohort supported under ERDERA's new transnational framework, which aims to accelerate the development of therapies for rare diseases through strong international collaboration.
Dr. Gobbi will coordinate a multidisciplinary, multinational consortium bringing together complementary expertise to advance a novel, first-in-class drug developed at McGill University for Fragile X syndrome—the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability and a leading genetic cause of autism— as well as Phelan-McDermid syndrome. The consortium will generate robust preclinical evidence to support the future translation of this novel drug into clinical development.
"This funding is a major recognition of the strength of our international collaboration and the quality of the science proposed by the entire team," said Dr. Gobbi. "Working together across institutions and countries allows us to tackle complex research questions in Fragile X and other types of autism with greater depth and impact."
The ERDERA Joint Transnational Call supports collaborative research that bridges discovery and clinical relevance, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for people living with rare diseases. This award highlights the importance of global partnerships in addressing conditions that require sustained, coordinated research efforts.
"The selection of this project underscores both the excellence of the consortium and The Institute's continued contribution to high-impact, internationally competitive research in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders and rare diseases," added Rhian Touyz, Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer at The Institute.
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