This is the 26th volume of the Annual Review of Nursing Research. It focuses on how nursing science can better serve the particular and special needs of rural populations. As in all volumes of the Annual Review, leading nurse researchers provide students, other researchers, and clinicians with the foundations for evidence-based practice and further research. The key topics covered include: Development of nursing science; Diverse approaches to building the state of the science research; Integrating biologic methods in the research; and, Research in reducing health disparities among people in rural areas across the country.