The Request for Applications for the Centers for Reducing Asthma Disparities was released in October 2001. The objective of the program is to promote partnerships (called centers) between a minority serving institution (MSI) that may not have a strong research program and a research intensive institution (RII) that has a track record of NIH-supported research and patient care. The purpose of the partnership is to conduct collaborative research on asthma disparities (i.e., greater prevalence of asthma, higher rates of morbidity due to asthma, and lesser access or use of quality medical care among minorities and poor).