2025 Conference

PRECONFERENCE WORKSHOP

Thursday, April 3, 2025 (8am - 10am)

Workshop #1: Update on the Topological Atlas and Repository for Acupoint Research (TARA)

Presenters: Rick Harris, PhD, LAc; Vitaly Napadow, PhD, LAc; Karl G. Helmer, PhD; Maryann Martone, PhD; Choi Seung-hoon

The Topological Atlas and Repository for Acupoint Research (TARA) is a NIH-funded project which will result in a new and valuable resource for the acupuncture research and clinician community. In addition, TARA may also be beneficial for researchers and clinicians outside of Traditional East Asian Medicine (TEAM), who are interested in whole-person research and cutaneous neuromodulation.

TARA will include an open-access (i.e. free) web-based portal incorporating (1) a searchable database of acupoint characteristics, connected with expert-curated research publications and associated acupoint-stimulation physiological response data. (2) male and female human and rat body atlases including in vivo MRI and/or ultrasound data and a standardized 3D coordinate system; and (3) an acupoint ontology using both TEAM and conventional biological nomenclature systems which will be used to provide standardized annotations of  the data and publications.  

TARA contains four core components.  The Ontology Core is tasked with identifying and connecting TEAM and conventional biological nomenclature of acupoints.  The Atlas Core will create 3D human and rat body maps of acupoints and underlying structures including muscle, nerve, and fascia. The Data Core will house all TARA data including atlas maps, research articles, and associated data – creating a website for dissemination to our constituency.  Finally, the TEAM Core will ensure that all aspects of TARA incorporate the relevant concepts of traditional East Asian medicine.

This workshop offers an update of the work in progress and will provide an opportunity to test current functionality of TARA products and provide feedback which will guide the project’s ongoing development.  Audience members will be able to interact with the TARA website and explore the functionality of the emerging database.  This feedback will improve TARA and ensure that future developments meet user expectations. In conclusion, audience members will hear about the historical consensus around acupoint definitions; learn about the organizational structure of the TARA project and what each Core team is charged to do; and enjoy hands-on testing of the TARA website, providing feedback about its user interface and functionality.