AIMM 2016 annual meeting - E.M. Shore, P.I. Advances in Mineral Metabolism (AIMM) is an annual conference that combines presentations on bone and musculoskeletal biology research in a format that provides extensive opportunity for open discussions and exchange of ideas from basic, clinical, and translational perspectives. The AIMM meeting has been embraced by a broad spectrum of scientists and clinicians who have gathered for the last 30 consecutive years to participate in the high quality discussions of state-of-the-art topics that are the core of the spirit of AIMM. From its start in 1985, the AIMM meeting has been an important and unique scientific meeting, distinguished by cutting edge reports and intensive scientific discussions. A unique feature of AIMM has consistently been to use half of each presentation time slot for lively and engaging discussion. The AIMM program has consistently maintained balance in basic research and clinical perspectives and is attended by academics (basic researchers and clinicians), postdoctoral trainees, and by scientists working in the pharmaceutical industry. In addition to high quality scientific discussion, a major goal of the AIMM meeting is to provide opportunities for young scientists to interact closely with more established researchers in a welcoming and interactive environment that fosters creative scientific exchange and encourages their career development. AIMM accomplishes this through a number of mechanisms: first, all Young Investigator awardees present their work orally within the planned scientific sessions; second, the program includes an open basic science session and an open clinical science session that provide young investigators additional opportunities to present recent findings or case reports; third, each session includes time for extended discussions and participation of young investigators is encouraged; fourth, meet-the-professor sessions provide unique opportunities for small-group interaction that particularly benefit scientists-in-training and young faculty; finally, the format of the meeting brings attendees together throughout the day including time for unstructured informal group and individual discussions. The 2016 AIMM meeting will be held from March 27-31, 2016 at the Stonebridge Inn in Snowmass Village, Colorado. The program will include basic science and clinical/translational oral presentations on relevant and new research including on the effects of weightlessness and microgravity on bone, hypoparathyroidism, cartilage and joint development, bone and energy metabolism, osteoporosis treatment and osteogenesis- angiogenesis coupling. Presentations and discussions by scientists and clinicians with expertise in these areas, as well as by young investigators who have been selected through a competitive process, will be a focus of the meeting. Invited speakers will lead meet-the-professor discussions on scientific and career development topics. A panel discussion on the future of pharmacotherapy for osteoporosis will also be held. The requested funds for the 2016 annual meeting would be a significant contribution toward fulfilling AIMM's goals to stimulate creativity in bone and musculoskeletal research and to provide young investigators with strong and lasting support to promote and develop their talent.