On September 21-23, 2009, Women and Infants Hospital and The Alpert Medical School of Brown University hosted a national meeting on behalf of the Office of Research in Women's Health (ORWH) of the NIH to help develop research and funding priorities for the next five to ten years. The conference was one of four nationally intended to incorporate input from researchers, clinicians, patients, advocacy groups, community organizers and industry. The conference provided the Brown community and our colleagues throughout New England with a unique opportunity to identify disparities and gaps in women's health research and to influence the future research agenda. Public testimony, invited speakers and work groups culminated in presentations by the Adolescent, Careers, Oral Health and Systemic Disease, Menopausal Transition, Reproductive, Pregnancy, Prenatal and Childhood workgroup leaders that will lead to a formal document reflecting the recommendations. We are very grateful to the Department and to the whole Brown community who contributed their time and expertise to the meeting and the onsite scientific writing. The meeting was a huge success, thanks to many people and to the extraordinary efforts of my co-chairs, Maureen Phipps, MD, Director of Research, Women & Infants Hospital and Associate Professor of Ob/Gyn and Community Health, Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Joanna Cain, MD, Chace/Joukowksy, Professor and Chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assistant Dean for Women's Health, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University. The combined efforts of Joanna and of Connie Howes, CEO of Women and Infants, were instrumental in having WIH be the site of this meeting. The final documents and recommendations will be available on the NIH website in the next few months.