ERDERA Learning Portal
The ERDERA Learning Portal brings together courses and resources for researchers, clinicians, patient representatives, policymakers, and industry professionals, suited to different levels of knowledge. Some of the training and resources presented are developed or endorsed by ERDERA, while others are provided by external organisations and are not ERDERA training. By supporting skills development, encouraging collaboration, and facilitating knowledge exchange, ERDERA helps connect people and expertise across the rare disease research community.
STATUS
LEVEL
TYPE
LENGTH
0 hours — 100 hours
COST
CERTIFICATION
CATEGORY
Biomarker Commercialization Toolset
This website offers a set of free biomarker commercialization tools to help researchers, small and medium sized companies (SMEs), and technology transfer offices (TTOs) tackle the highly regulated and interdisciplinary landscape of in-vitro diagnostics applicable biomarkers, i.e., markers intended to provide information on the health status of a person.
workshop
•
basic
Design and Interpretation of Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are structured experiments used to assess new treatments in humans. Randomised designs provide the most reliable evidence by ensuring objective, unbiased evaluation of benefits and risks. This course introduces key concepts in trial design, reporting, analysis, and the ethical foundations of research involving human participants.
e-learning
•
basic
Study Designs in Epidemiology
Selecting the right study design is key to answering a research question. This course introduces major epidemiological designs—from cross‑sectional and case‑control to cohort and nested studies—along with randomized controlled trials. By the end, you’ll understand their main strengths and limitations and be able to choose the most suitable design for your research.
e-learning
•
advanced
Closed training
Materials available
Statistical Methodology for Very Small (and Very Large) Studies
This course explores statistical and methodological approaches that remain robust whether studies are very small, as in many rare diseases, or very large. It highlights techniques that ensure reliable estimates in small samples and computational efficiency in large datasets. Special attention is given to the use of surrogate markers and the persistent challenges posed by incomplete data. The emphasis is on conceptual understanding and practical examples rather than mathematical detail.
webinar
•
intermediate
Closed training
Materials available
Bayesian Methods in Clinical Research
Bayesian methods have grown rapidly in popularity for their ability to handle complex models and offer intuitive results. This course introduces Bayes’ theorem, priors, and posteriors through simple examples, shows how Bayesian approaches are used across research fields, and demonstrates their value in randomized clinical trials. Its aim is to give participants a smooth, practical introduction to Bayesian statistics.
webinar
•
intermediate
Closed training
Materials available
Early phase trial designs in rare diseases
Developing treatments for rare diseases is challenging due to small, diverse patient populations and limited knowledge of disease progression. This tutorial introduces key statistical methods for early‑phase trials, focusing on adaptive phase 1 and phase 1/2 designs that balance learning about dose–toxicity and early efficacy while protecting participants. It highlights how these approaches improve dose‑finding and strengthen early clinical development.
webinar
•
intermediate