2026-2030 International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health (ICIMH) - This proposal aims to support the International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health (ICIMH) annual meeting from 2026-2030, sponsored by the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health (“Academic Consortium”), which currently represents over 80 academic health centers and health systems in the U.S. and around the World. The overall goal of the Congress is to provide the premier venue for bringing together rigorous scientific research on a broad range of topics including integrative approaches to cancer, mental health, pain, metabolic health, aging, pediatrics, women’s health, oral health, and substance use disorders. It has provided a key venue for grantees of the NCCIH and other NIH centers and institutes to network and present their scientific work and has been a significant catalyst for growth of the science of the integrative medicine field since the inception of the Congress. This grant is specifically aimed at increasing attendance at the conference of students, trainees, new investigators, and others with financial barriers to attendance and supporting the publication of early investigators abstracts. Most of the funding will be directed at reducing the student registration rate and providing travel scholarships. Travel scholarships will be awarded based on submission of an abstract with strong reviewer ratings, financial need, and bringing trainees from different health disciplines to the conference. The 2026 ICIMH is to be held in Salt Lake City, UT from April 20- 23, 2026; in Minneapolis, MN from April 12-15, 2027; and the 2028, 2029 and 2030 ICIMH will be determined closer to the date. ICIMH will showcase original scientific research involving integrative medicine and whole person health, using keynote and plenary presentations, oral and poster abstracts, symposia, and workshops. Basic science, clinical, and health service researchers will present original research and moderate panel presentations selected through a de-identified peer-review process, using a pool of over 60 expert reviewers. Leaders in whole health and integrative medicine are invited to provide keynote addresses and moderate concurrent research presentations. The oversight of conference planning is a collaboration between an Organizing and Scientific Review committee, Academic Consortium Board of Directors, student advisory group, and NCCIH. The 18-member Organizing Committee, representing diverse leaders in research, education, and clinical communities, has key responsibility for planning the meeting content, including selecting the plenary speakers and meeting symposia. This proposal aims to ensure that the Congress continues to provide a rigorous scientific venue for grantees of the NCCIH and other NIH institutes engaged in research related to whole person health to network and present their scientific work and to advance the meeting’s role as an important catalyst for growth of the science of the integrative medicine field.
