Glycans are an integral part of biology and an understanding of their role in extracellular communication, on the cell surface or through secreted factors, is growing. Immune cells are seen as crucial in ‘reading’ this glycan information, through their many lectins and lectin-like receptors, and responding appropriately (in health) or inappropriately (in disease). Our mission is to understand these processes, and the drivers behind them, for clinical gain.