Our goal is to hold a research conference sponsored by the American Osteopathic Association in San Francisco, CA on November 7-10, 2004. The title is "Manual Medicine in Special Populations: Children, Women and Athletes". Eight speakers have been selected who agree to present new and original research data regarding the basic science principles and the clinical efficacy of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). One additional speaker with original data will be added. In that each topic is a specific use of OMM and that OMM is considered a form of CAM, the program should be of interest to NCCAM. The didactic session format allows for four 30-40 minute presentations on each of three days. This promotes interaction in an intimate setting of investigators who have overlapping clinical interests. This is a fertile setting for generating additional collaboration and research plans. [unreadable] [unreadable] We are arranging joint sponsorship of one-third of the Conference with the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine. Members of the Academy are particularly interested in manipulative medicine in the prevention and treatment of sports injuries. [unreadable] [unreadable] A second component of the Conference that features original research is the poster session. We expect approximately 100 abstracts wilt be submitted to the AOA and reviewed by the Council on Research for scientific merit. The main criterion for acceptance is that they contain original research data. Abstract publication in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association and presentation at the Conference in poster format follows. The poster presentation session includes a student research prize competition, with a $250 cash prize for top place in both the basic science and the clinical science categories. [unreadable] [unreadable]