Since 1996, the American Lung Association and the American Thoracic Society have jointly pursued a national asthma research initiative called Asthma Research Institute, in search of solutions to the alarming public health problems this disease presents. Three National Asthma Research Centers have been established as a result of the alarming increase in asthma's prevalence and the rising number of deaths. One is located at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, Colorado. A second is located at the Human Molecular Biology and Genetics Institute at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. The third center is located at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. The most recent phase of this project is the introduction of Asthma Clinical Research Centers (ACRC). This network of 20 centers was established by the American Lung Association to conduct clinical research on large groups of patients all around the United States as part of our effort to improve the treatment of asthma and to find a cure. The American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic has a five-year commitment to fund asthma research projects at University of Pennsylvania Medical Center in Philadelphia. While these centers serve as home bases, the centers are not bound by bricks and mortar. They serve a constantly expanding network of pulmonologists, immunologists, allergists and basic researchers at their base locations, at other institutions and private enterprises in the country, and at similar organizations around the world. 7 2007-06-12T14:06:42-04:00 Multiple asthma-specific research centers located across the country 18 0 acrc 2007-11-11 1 0 2008-06-09T21:32:16-04:00