Abstract
Mechanisms of the Development of Allergy (MeDALL) was a European Union-SeventhFramework Programme for Research and Technological Development project aimed toapply the systems medicine approach to improve the understanding of allergic diseases.It was based on existing birth cohorts to redefine classical phenotypes and identify novelphenotypes of immunoglobulin (Ig)E-associated asthma, allergic rhinitis and dermatitis.The project included a wide range of population-based, clinical and mechanistic studiesapplying systems medicine. MeDALL demonstrated the existence of the multimorbidityof eczema, rhinitis, and asthma both in IgE-sensitized and non-sensitized children andintegrated the evidence on multimorbidities and polysensitization in a new framework ofallergic diseases. Innovative approaches included unsupervised statistical modelling, com-putational analysis of the topology of the protein interaction network and the IgE MeDALLallergen-chip. Mechanistic studies included testing candidate biomarkers, epigenetics, andtranscriptomics. Assessment of individual and environmental factors included puberty,maternal smoking and pregnancy.