The International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), created from the merger of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and The Society for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, is the only international, non-profit professional association devoted to the promotion of research and education in all applications of magnetic resonance in medicine, biology, and related fields. Members include clinicians, physicists, engineers, biochemists, chemists, and technologists. The ISMRM is, at present, the only society that combines both basic and applied disciplines, including clinical research, to best serve medicine and science. This merged society was founded in 1994 and has now reached a membership of over five thousand. Scientific meetings are held annually and cover a broad range of topics including the development and application of MR technology to diagnosis, treatment and research in cancer, neurological disorders, cardiovascular disease, mental health and other areas. In 2000, the Eighth Annual Meeting of the Society will be held in Denver, Colorado from April 1-7th. An attendance of over four thousand scientists, physicians and students is anticipated. This proposal requests funds to support, in-part, educational stipends for meritorious students and postdoctoral trainees from the U.S. whose abstracts are submitted and accepted through the regular peer review process of the Society. The amount of each award will be 70 percent of the anticipated travel cost for a particular student, with the remaining 30 percent being provided by the student's supervisor. The Society has earmarked an amount of 125,000 dollars, derived from unrestricted corporate donations, for the support of this program. This proposal requests supplemental funds in the amount of 25,920 dollars from NIH. In the context of limited funding from peer-reviewed, industrial, and clinical revenue sources faced by many research laboratories, the requested support has become critical to stimulate young investigators to actively contribute their research and help bring together established researchers and students in this rapidly-evolving field of medical research. The support requested herein is vital to our efforts to support as many students and post-doctoral trainees as possible for the upcoming meeting.
