Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program
Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program supports early career scientists with long-term funding for basic biological and biomedical research to advance foundational discoveries and inclusive lab leadership.
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Funder: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Due Dates: November 3, 2026, 9:00 AM ET (Applications open) | December 15, 2026, 11:59 PM ET (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $10 million over 10 years, including salary, benefits, and annual research budgets of $500,000–$600,000
Summary: Supports early career biological and biomedical scientists through long-term research support and development as inclusive lab leaders.
Key Information: Scholars become HHMI employees and must devote at least 80% of their professional time to research.
Description
The Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program supports outstanding early career tenured and tenure-track faculty, including physician-scientists, conducting basic biological and biomedical research. Run by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), it invests in scientists rather than individual projects, supporting foundational discoveries alongside laboratories that recruit, mentor, and inspire trainees from a wide range of backgrounds.
Scholars maintain their academic appointments and laboratories at host institutions while receiving long-term HHMI support. The program combines research resources with tailored professional development, a required year-long inclusive lab leadership course, and participation in HHMI’s scientific community. Beginning with the 2028 competition, Freeman Hrabowski Scholars and Hanna H. Gray Fellows are selected through one combined competition, with applicants evaluated relative to their career stage.
