Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program

The Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program is a transformational award for early career researchers who show exceptional promise of becoming outstanding leaders in academic science, making foundational discoveries while building an inclusive scientific culture. Through their successful careers, Hanna Gray Fellows will move science forward and will recruit, mentor, and inspire the next generation of scientists from all backgrounds.

Fellows receive funding for their postdoctoral training and during their early years as independent faculty. In addition to financial support, Hanna Gray Fellows join the vibrant multigenerational HHMI community, where fellows learn with experts and each other how to build healthy research environments that are creative, bold, inclusive, and effective.

The program is now entering a new phase, joining with the Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program to amplify their shared mission. Together, these efforts will strengthen support for postdocs seeking faculty roles, and provide long-term resources to new faculty as they establish their labs. Under this new structure, Hanna Gray Fellows will receive up to two years of postdoctoral support, and up to ten years of faculty support as Freeman Hrabowski Scholars.

Beginning in 2026, postdoctoral researchers interested in pursuing faculty positions will apply as part of the Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program, and, if selected, will become Hanna Gray Fellows while postdocs.

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply if you:

• You are eligible to apply if you:
  • are a basic science researcher or physician-scientist in the biological and biomedical sciences in the many scientific disciplines that HHMI supports.
  • have been accepted to join a laboratory as a postdoctoral researcher, led by a tenured or tenure-track faculty member at an eligible institution in the US, including Puerto Rico, at the time of the application deadline.
  • will commit 75% of your total effort to research in a postdoctoral training position by the grant start date.
  • will commit to a minimum of two years of postdoctoral training in this position after the grant start date.
  • hold a PhD and/or MD (or equivalent) which is conferred by the start of the grant term.