Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Programs
HHMI Research Programs
MEDICAL RESEARCH ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES (A) THE HHMI INVESTIGATOR PROGRAM (B) JANELIA RESEARCH CAMPUS (C) THE FREEMAN HRABOWSKI SCHOLARS PROGRAM (A) The HHMI Investigator Program The Howard Hughes Medical Institute's approach to biomedical research can be summarized in three words: people, not projects. By employing scientists as HHMI Investigators - rather than awarding research grants - the Institute provides long-term, flexible funding that enables its researchers to pursue their scientific interests wherever they lead. HHMI believes that scientists of exceptional talent and imagination will make fundamental discoveries of lasting scientific value and benefit to humanity if they are given the resources, time, and freedom to pursue challenging questions. HHMI Investigators receive a seven-year appointment, which is renewable pending favorable scientific review. The Institute nurtures the creativity and intellectual daring of scientists who are willing to set aside conventional wisdom or the easy question for a fundamental problem that may take many years to solve. Among the characteristics that distinguish this group of scientists are qualities such as creativity, a penchant for risk-taking, and a commitment to discovery, productivity, and perseverance. This unique research model is an imaginative and powerful alternative to funding biomedical research through grants. Among the more than 270 current HHMI Investigators are 16 Nobel laureates and more than 150 members of the National Academy of Sciences. HHMI Investigators direct Institute research laboratories on the campuses of nearly 60 universities and other research organizations throughout the United States. Since the early 1990s, Investigators have been selected through rigorous national competitions. The Institute solicits applications directly from scientists at medical schools and other research institutions in the United States, with the aim of identifying those who have the potential to make significant contributions to science. HHMI employs an open application process to ensure that it selects its researchers from a broad and deep pool of scientific talent. HHMI announced a national competition in October 2022 to appoint approximately 25 new Investigators, expanding HHMI's community of Investigators. The competition concluded in July 2024, and the new Investigators are starting their appointments in FY25. (B) Janelia Research Campus HHMI's Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, innovates research practices and technologies to solve biology's deepest mysteries. At Janelia, integrated teams of lab scientists and tool-builders pursue a small number of scientific questions with potential for transformative impact. To drive science forward, methods, results, and tools are shared with the scientific community. In FY24, Janelia welcomed Nelson Spruston as its third Executive Director. Spruston has had an active research lab at Janelia since 2011. He most recently served as Chief of Janelia Scientific Operations and Programs, responsible for implementing the research campus's strategic vision. In his Executive Director role, Spruston will drive Janelia's scientific vision, including new efforts toward AI@HHMI, HHMI's 10-year, $500 million investment to support AI-driven projects and to embed AI systems throughout every stage of the scientific process, which was announced in FY24. As a result of this initiative, Janelia plans to hire AI scientists and assemble highly collaborative, transdisciplinary teams addressing scientific problems that cannot be tackled by traditional academic labs. In the current fiscal year, there were 25 group leaders, 18 senior group leaders, and nine Janelia scholars at Janelia, in addition to graduate students, postdocs, and visiting scientists. Janelia also hosts a vibrant scientific conference program, which brings many scientists to its campus each year for educational meetings, as well as on-site research opportunities in the Advanced Imaging Center. (C) The Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program In May 2023, HHMI announced the selection of 31 Freeman Hrabowski Scholars - outstanding early career faculty in science who have potential to become leaders in their research fields and to advance inclusion. Scholars prioritize scientific excellence in their own research while creating an inclusive lab climate that serves as a model within their own institutions and beyond. This first cohort of Scholars joined the Institute as employees in FY2024 and represent 22 U.S. research institutions. Each Scholar is appointed for up to two five-year terms. The program is named for Freeman A. Hrabowski III, president emeritus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program extends HHMI's commitment to early career scientists at universities, colleges, and research organizations across the nation.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesSep 1, 2023 – Aug 31, 2024Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$804.6MScience Education, Fellowships, and Media Programs
SCIENCE EDUCATION, FELLOWSHIPS, AND MEDIA PROGRAMS (A) CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE LEADERSHIP & CULTURE (B) TANGLED BANK STUDIOS (C) HANNA H. GRAY FELLOWS PROGRAM (D) ELIFE OPEN ACCESS JOURNAL Through its Science Education, Fellowships, and Media Program initiatives, HHMI invests in individuals, institutions, initiatives, and media that advance learning. HHMI also nourishes the public understanding of science by bringing important stories of scientific discovery to a wide variety of audiences. (A) Center for the Advancement of Science Leadership & Culture HHMI's Center for the Advancement of Science Leadership & Culture ("the Center") plays a key role in HHMI's efforts to center inclusion in science research and education across key academic career stages. The Center serves as a facilitator, convener, strategic partner, and source of expertise to advance HHMI's goals for the scientific workforce. HHMI's Inclusive Excellence (IE) initiative aims to support colleges and universities in increasing their capacity for inclusion in science of all students, especially those students who come to college via non-traditional pathways. In November 2022, HHMI announced six-year grants to 104 institutions as part of the third round of the initiative. The colleges and universities are organized into Learning Community Clusters (LCC). The LCCs focus on improving introductory science courses, evaluation of effective and inclusive teaching, and partnerships between 2- and 4-year institutions so that their students can thrive. HHMI's Driving Change initiative continued support for 12 grantee institutions that are developing and implementing: (i) institution-centered activities aimed at creating a more inclusive STEM learning environment for all students; and (ii) student-centered activities that enable all students to succeed while encouraging university faculty to value and assume responsibility for student success. In FY24, the Science Education Alliance (SEA) program admitted faculty from fifteen colleges and universities into its community of hundreds of faculty who adopt and implement SEA-PHAGES, a two-semester course-based research experience designed to replace the traditional introductory biology lab sequence in the undergraduate curriculum. HHMI's Gilliam Fellows Program supports biomedical PhD students and their dissertation advisors who are committed to advancing equity and inclusion and engaging their communities in science. In FY24, HHMI made 50 new awards, with 10 institutions receiving their first Gilliam award. HHMI BioInteractive, a resource for general high school biology, AP/IB biology, and college-level introductory biology teachers, has been in existence for over two decades and now receives over three million visitors annually through its website, BioInteractive.org. BioInteractive's science education resources include interactive multimedia materials, scientific animations, videos, in-class activities, as well as award-winning, broadcast-quality short films. All BioInteractive resources are made available to educators online, through the BioInteractive.org website and YouTube channel, and at workshops, conferences, and conventions. In 2024 the BioInteractive team offered 20 online educator professional development workshops and over 50 in-person workshops and similar events at conferences, school districts and schools throughout the US. (B) Tangled Bank Studios Tangled Bank Studios, LLC, is a mission-driven film studio. As an extension of HHMI's longstanding science education and public engagement mission, the studio aims to produce content and programs that capture compelling stories of discovery across all branches of scientific inquiry, with particular focus on the life sciences. Together with world-class partners, the studio creates innovative outreach initiatives to amplify the reach and deepen the impact around each project. Achievements this year include 5 GSCA Awards for Blue Whales: Return of the Giants, an Emmy nomination and an AAAS Kavli Gold Science Journalism award for Battle to Beat Malaria, and several top film festival awards for Wilding, Turtle Walker, The Calling, Every Little Thing, and Hunt for the Oldest DNA. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT TANGLED BANK FILMS IS AVAILABLE AT HTTPS://WWW.TANGLEDBANKSTUDIOS.ORG/OUR-FILMS. (C) Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program Since 2017, HHMI has held regular open competitions to recruit and retain outstanding early-career scientists. Each fellow receives funding for up to eight years, with mentoring and active involvement within the HHMI community. In this two-phase program, fellows are supported from early postdoctoral training through several years of a tenure-track faculty position. Through the 2024 fiscal year, HHMI has selected 116 fellows to support, and will invest a total of up to $197 million for their support over eight years. (D) eLife Open Access Journal HHMI, together with Wellcome, the Max Planck Society, and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, continues to support a top tier scientific journal called eLife, which is operated by eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd., a separately organized non-profit entity. The online journal follows an open access model and is led by practicing scientists.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesSep 1, 2023 – Aug 31, 2024Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$114.2M
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