The goal of the federally funded study is to investigate which therapies provide the most cost-effective treatment of back pain. Treatments being examined include chiropractic manipulation, muscle therapy and patient education. Study subjects will receive thorough evaluations of their back problems and three weeks of treatment free of charge. A call for proposals has been issued for the 1997-98 academic year by the University of California Pacific Rim Research Program . Proposals, which may be from any discipline, should be collaborative and address questions that contribute to an understanding of the region as a whole.
Interdisciplinary projects are preferred.
Applications will be accepted from UC academic appointees eligible for principal investigator status and from graduate students. Proposals are due by Feb. 14. Humanities research fellowships awarded Two UCI faculty members, Jeffrey Barrett and Timothy Tackett, are among 19 recipients of President's Research Fellowships in the Humanities for 1996-97. O'Brien added that UCI is typically well represented in the fellowship competition. Linda Williams, a UCI film studies professor who has been a fellowship winner and a selection committee member, said judges are looking for cuttingedge research proposals.