The mission of the Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc ( MCAN ) is to support and advance evidence-based programs that improve the quality of life for children with asthma and their families and to reduce through the dissemination of effective interventions the burden of the disease on them and society. MCAN seeks to be a leading national resource for and an advocate on behalf of children with asthma by working with national, regional and community partners. We intend to advance comprehensive community-based approaches that facilitate the adoption of effective asthma interventions. We aim to demonstrate that, while asthma currently is not curable, it is manageable when children and their families have access to and utilize quality healthcare services. MCAN supports competitive, peer-reviewed childhood asthma translational research specifically focused on the adoption of evidence-based treatment and prevention models that will: