Mast cells and basophils have long been recognized for their detrimental role in the elicitation of allergic diseases. In recent years, scientific results revealed both cell types as versatile effector cells that exhibit far more complex functions beyond their role in allergy. Mast cells and basophils have been shown to be critically involved in various innate and adaptive immune responses and, thereby, providing beneficial host protecting immunity. In contrast, they also contribute to the development and maintenance of several chronic inflammatory diseases which, even at the present time, lack sufficient treatment options. The diversity of important mast cell and basophil functions places these cell types into promising therapeutic targets. The Action will create a network of European experts to foster a multidisciplinary approach for the identification, characterisation, and development of such targets and their translation into novel therapeutic strategies.
