Funder: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Due Dates: November 3, 2026, 9:00 AM ET (Opens) | December 15, 2026, 11:59 PM ET (Application deadline) | July 23, 2027 (Pre-appointment transfer requests)
Funding Amounts: Up to $10 million over 10 years, including salary, benefits, and annual research budgets of $500,000–$600,000
Summary: Long-term support for early career faculty pursuing basic biological and biomedical research and developing inclusive laboratory leadership.
Key Information: Scholars become HHMI employees while retaining their host-institution appointments and must devote at least 80% of professional time to research and mentoring.
Description
The Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program supports outstanding early career faculty, including physician-scientists, conducting basic biological and biomedical research. Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) supports “people, not projects,” investing in scientists with strong research records, inspiring scientific visions, and a commitment to recruiting, mentoring, and inspiring trainees from varied backgrounds.
Scholars retain their academic appointments and laboratories at their host institutions while becoming HHMI employees. Support combines research funding, salary and benefits, equipment opportunities, scientific resources at Janelia Research Campus, and professional development. Scholars complete a required year-long inclusive lab leadership course. Beginning with the 2028 competition, selection is combined with the Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program, with applicants evaluated relative to their career stage.
