The innate immune system responds to microbial products and host factors that arise during tissue damage and metabolic dysregulation. Innate immune activation is important for the control of infections and overactivation can lead to inflammatory disease states. An international group of scientists work together with the major aims of: • elucidating how the innate immune system maintains health and under which circumstances it promotes diseases • using basic research to decipher the molecular mechanisms of innate immune activation • developing novel therapeutic approaches that target a multitude of inflammatory diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and atherosclerosis