Host organisations
The European Mast Cell and Basophil Research Network (EMBRN; http://www.embrn.eu ) is a non-profit association of scientists and physicians interested in the biology of mast cells and basophils and their role in health and disease.
A European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) award (Action BM 1007: Mast Cells and Basophils - Targets for Innovative Therapies; http://www.mastcell-basophil.net/ ) has as its main objective the identification and characterisation of novel disease-related cell specific targets that will result in the development of innovative therapeutic strategies for the treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The focus is on basic, clinical and translational science in mast cell and basophil research across Europe.
The Action fosters a interdisciplinary approach to mast cell and basophil research in order to increase understanding and to translate this knowledge into the development of potentially beneficial end points. 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. 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 experts to foster a interdisciplinary approach for the identification, characterisation, and development of such targets and their translation into novel therapeutic strategies.
