Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a twisting condition of the spine and is the most common pediatric musculoskeletal disorder, affecting 3% of children worldwide. Children with AIS risk severe disfigurement, back pain, and pulmonary disfunction later in life. AIS is treated symptomatically rather than preventively because the underlying etiology is not understood. Hospital charges for AIS surpass one billion dollars annually in the United States and are rising significantly faster than that of other pediatric procedures, largely due to spinal implant costs. Our goal is to understand the biologic causes of AIS as a means to prevention and non-invasive treatment.